By Tom Keener

Allen Heritage Guild presents the exhibit “Home Sweet Home” August through October at the Heritage Depot, 100 East Main. Room vignettes reflect interior furnishings and designs similar to those found in Allen homes prior to 1940. Room interiors include period furniture, decorative and kitchen items. The exhibit is free and open to the public. This exhibit depicts typical arrangements for four rooms—kitchen, bedroom, sitting room and porch.

The kitchen—the room where mom’s work was never done—features a wood--burning 1928 “Beauty Banquet” stove by the Great Western Stove Co. Women were becoming attentive to beauty in addition to functionality and the electric refrigerator reduced the constant worry of bugs contaminating food. The 1930s kitchen contained colorful but sturdy kitchenware from Westinghouse, Jewel T by Hall, and Fiesta by Homer Laughlin. Antique connoisseur Karla Worburg provides cast iron cooking and cookie cutter demonstrations. Ms. Worburg collected her fine antiques while traveling and living throughout the United States.

In a period with no air conditioning or television, porches were an important part of the living space and social life. This was especially true during the Texas summers because the porch was the coolest area in the house. While perched on rockers or porch swings, people greeted their neighbors as they walked on the sidewalk or waved at children roller skating down the street.

Bedrooms of the 30s were starting to reflect a modern appearance—mahogany was replacing Grandma’s golden oak furniture. Since space was still limited, people slept in double beds as king size was reserved only for the wealthy.

Sitting rooms were designed for appearance rather than comfort. Thus, chairs and sofas were often straight rather than curved. Sally Terrell has donated an Eastlake parlor suite. This gothic-style furniture was popular from the late nineteenth century to the 1930s and is still treasured by collectors.

The Heritage Depot is open the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month: Saturday—10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday—1-3 p.m. Special arrangements for groups can be made by calling Ed Bryan at 972-396-8546. Anyone wishing to loan period items should contact Alice Blanchard at 214-383-1407.