Women at Work, Anne (Mrs. Otto Haynes) Christensen

This picture of Anne (Christensen) Haynes, (born 1892) was taken probably in the 40s judging by the make of her iron.

Anne married Otto Haynes (a son of 1914 Ashford pioneer Paul Haynes). Otto was the fire warden and in 1934 he and sons Elwin and Arndon ran the Haynes Shake Mill outside Eatonville.

Most of the pictures of the past show men at work in the woods and doing other manly things. You rarely see photos of women going about their jobs, like doing laundry, which was physical labor back then.

This picture is wonderful because the detail captures the life of many women of the era — the tiny kitchen, the wash bucket, heavy iron, wood stove , the hammer and other tools hanging on the wall . . . and the shaft of light coming in through a window probably over the kitchen sink.

Photo courtesy of the Haynes family.

Click on image to enlarge.