Background
When people started moving into La Plata County in the mid 1870s and 1880s, women didn’t need to go to the gym to stay in shape. Their everyday chores involved the use of heavy equipment from buckets full of water to clothes irons. You will learn more about irons and women's work through these featured artifacts from the Animas Museum's Collection and appreciate our modern conveniences.
The photograph above (catalog number 89.19.157) was probably staged and not taken in Durango. We do know the lady on the right is Goldie Hocker who moved to Durango and married Emory Smiley. He was a longtime educator and superintendant of schools.