95 Years Ago
A reader asked me to describe women’s lives in times past. I’ve been reading about 1930 lately, so I’ll start with that year. The weekly Society column detailed the many clubs and church groups that were active at the time, including the Delphian and Fortnightly study clubs, Women’s Relief Corps, Business & Professional Women, P.E.O., P.T.A., Embroidery Club, Vice Versa Club, Progressive Club, Alter Society, and Episcopal Guild. Bridge parties were very popular for woman who had the time to play. The Depression was on, so there wasn’t a lot of money for recreation, but the Golden Gem Theater was available for the occasional night out.
Most–not all–women worked at home, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and taking care of children. They worked on food production. Many raised poultry for meat and eggs, and some had cows, which had to be milked twice a day. Most had gardens and fruit trees, so they planted, weeded, harvested, and canned food. Things they couldn’t grow were available at any of several local grocery stores. Some of these stores took phone orders and delivered to homes.
Although automobiles were around in 1930, Golden was still very small–everything was within walking distance, so women walked to shop downtown, they walked to church, and their children walked to school. If they needed to visit Denver, they would walk to the Tramway depot at 13th and Washington.
Keeping a home was harder work in those days, because we had fewer appliances. Rugs were beaten in the backyard to remove dust. Clothes were hand washed and hung out to dry (or sent to a laundry service). Food was stored in an ice box, so ice was delivered several times a week during summer months, and the water left by melted ice had to be removed and poured out. Dishes were washed by hand. Gas and electric ranges were just coming into use, so many women still stoked a stove and cooked with coal or wood.
Colorado Central Power Company was doing their best to drag us into the modern age. Their May 8, 1930 advertisement asked the rather bleak question, “How Long Should a Wife Live?” They quote a “well-known author and advertising man” as saying “not very long” in the old days.
Modern wives, by contrast, could extend their lives by owning washing machines, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, and other labor-saving devices. All of these items were conveniently for sale at the Colorado Central Power Company in downtown Golden. They offered installment plans, so appliance payments could be rolled into the monthly electric bill.
