I woke up from a dream last week and remembered that the dream had taken place in the cellar way of the Cherry St. house. It made me start remembering all kinds of little trivia about what was stored there and how we used it. Since I remember things like Dad always hanging his hat there, the dog food being stored there and the laundry chute (which not just anyone had in their house, so there!), it seems like something that should kick off quite a few memories among us. What do you remember about that utility space? I remember the ledge that ran along the wall, but can’t remember what was stored there. Did Mom keep potatoes and onions there
— Chris Daily
Dad had a work bench down there. I remember when the coal furnace was replaced by a gas furnace. He was very happy. Because of water problems in the basement he built a wall around the furnace with bricks on their side. It was one brick high with mortar between the bricks. I remember mom’s first washing machine had a wringer for removing the water. The laundry shute emptied into one side of a double tub. It was halve way down the cellar stairs.
— Jack
Clothsepins? Humphrey’s bath towels were above the stairs. Fly swatter on a hook? Mom’s aprons on hooks?
— Lisa Woodworth
The cellar way was really just an in-between kind of place, but so useful. We all probably used it every day that we lived in the house. I can picture Dad standing in the doorway, putting on his hat to go to work or outside to work on the lawn. I can almost feel myself at the top of the stairs, aiming soggy dish towels at the laundry chute and muttering when I missed and had to go down the all-of-three or four steps to pick them up and put them in the chute. We kept our roller skates there in the summer…maybe because the garbage being outside made more space. Remember the skates with the key to lock them onto your feet?
— Chris Daily
I remember she kept her paper bags on that shelf, too, from the grocery store. I remember the color of the entranceway, too. A greenish blue.
— Sue Ciaio
I wonder why the “room” was always the same color…like Sue remembers. I have absolutely no memory of Dad ever painting it.
— Chris Daily