Lisle Depot west bedroom

The second floor hallway alcove was another common area for the family’s daily activities away from the formal parlor and busy station. A parent could complete chores while monitoring the children sleeping or playing. It also provided another area for storing items away from children’s reach. Items that were commonly found in this type of space were sewing machines, potty training chairs for young children, and more. The second floor features two full bedrooms for sleeping, clothes storage, and washing. These spaces show typical “turn-of-the-century” 1900s style furnishings. The room on the left is set for parents with a matching bed and dry sink wash cabinet as well as a crib for newborns. The room on the right is set as the children’s room to sleep all together. Featured here is a rope bed with cannonball style posts and a rope trundle bed, the precursors of the modern slat bed and boxspring also on display. Clothing was stored in trunks located in each room since closets were not very common for many working folks at this time. Chamber pots were common features since going downstairs and outside at night made using the outhouse inconvenient. Household members could use these porcelain containers to relieve themselves during the night and dump it outside in the morning.