Historical Museum

Located in La Conner

"Come to the top of the hill for a spectacular view of Skagit County history"

Rug Beaters

Wool rugs with busy patterns or braided rugs made of rags were very popular in early Skagit County homes. The problem was how to clean them. Carpet sweepers with names like Bissell were available, but they cleaned only the top of the rug. Sometimes a rug needed a real beating.

The tools in the middle and right of the wall are carpet beaters. Three of them are made of metal wire with a wood handle. The fourth is made of rattan. When a rug or carpet really needed a cleaning, it was hung outside on a strong clothesline. The beater knocked the dirt and dust out of the carpet. It was sign of spring when people started to beat their carpets. Spring-cleaning had begun.