March 28, 2024

The first washing machine made in Newton

There is little doubt, if any, among those who research and follow Newton history that A. K. Skow’s arrival from Denmark in 1872, and his brothers, N. K. and C. K.’s later arrivals, were critical in Newton’s development as a manufacturing leader.

Since there is already a very good article on the Skow Brothers written by Elaine Richardson and included in Larry Hurto’s book, “A History of Newton, Iowa,” I am not going to list all they produced for others, but suffice it to say they were experts in many areas of production and many budding entrepreneurs turned to them for prototypes and/or initial production runs.

In addition, they produced and marketed many products themselves, including everything from cast iron street signs and manhole covers, to caskets, disc sharpeners and all the millwork for Drake’s Carnegie Library that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The purpose of this article is to reach an educated opinion on whether Skow produced the first washing machine made in Newton, the Whirl, instead of the currently recognized 1899 Ratchet Slat, produced by Hawkeye Incubator.

Early articles on the company, as well as obituaries for A. K., N. K. and C. K., all include references to “the old roller type washer made for W. H. L. King.” At the same time, a 1901 feature about W. H. L. King, as well as his 1903 obituary, refers only to his 1880s billiard business and the King Weather Strip Company he developed over the last six or seven years of his life. No mention of the Whirl. The inference would be that the roller type washer was indeed “old” by 1901, as referenced in the Skow articles, or that it “flew under the radar in Newton,” perhaps due to only being sold out of state, or both.

Here’s the evidence, albeit circumstantial:

We know that Skow produced the old roller slat washer for W. H. L. King. We know that Skow produced a cultivator in 1884. We know that W. H. L. King patented a cultivator while living in Princeton, Iowa in 1865. C. K. Skow (woodworking) came to Newton in 1883. W. H. L. King left Newton for Pierre, Dakota Territory, in 1884, and returned in 1891. The Whirl washer is a similar design to the Doty, which was in Newton as early as 1869. The Whirl washer seems less sophisticated than the Ratchet Slat. There is a Whirl washer on exhibit in the 1881 Court House Museum in Custer, S.D.

My conclusion is that the Whirl is definitely older than the Ratchet Slat. It could have been produced as early as 1872, but my theory is it was produced by C. K. Skow c. 1883, prior to King’s leaving Newton for Pierre. Come and check out both machines this summer and decide for yourself. By the way, did you notice King named the washer after himself (WHirL)?

Upcoming events at the Jasper County Historical Museum include:

April 8, noon — Brown Bag Lunch and Learn — Larry Hurto presents “The Day Buffalo Bill Came to Newton.” Free to the public.

April 26 2 p.m. — Quarterly Meeting — Presentation to be announced. Free to the public.

May 1 — Opening day of the museum.