Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - March 6, 1983

Rug loom used by Civil War veteran

This rug loom, owned by the Vigo County Historical Society, is one of the featured weaving exhibits in the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth Street.

It was built by a veteran of the Civil War who used it after he returned from the war to make a living as a weaver. This writer thinks that he designed it, for it is not like any other loom we have ever seen. It is a loom needed for the beating required to weave rag rugs. No bench is used. The weaver stands while weaving.

The exhibit is made possible because of the Friends of the Museum, a volunteer group of the society. Cotton threads are used for the warp and the loom is threaded and kept in working order by volunteers. Other volunteers donate cotton material to use for the rugs. With the current popularity of synthetic knit materials, it is not always easy to find scraps of brightly colored cotton material, but the volunteers have been generous in supplying them.

Other volunteers cut the material into strips one inch wide and sew them together. Then the strips are wound into balls. As a child, one of the volunteers helped her grandmother roll the rags and she taught the procedure. The rags are held tightly and rolled into tight balls; this is the same as ironing them, for after they have been wound on a ball for awhile they appear to have been ironed, and all of the wrinkles disappear.

The volunteer hostesses learn how to weave on the loom so they can demonstrate weaving to groups touring the museum. This historical treasure is a popular "hands on" exhibit with school children.

The Historical Museum is open Sunday through Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. It is closed Saturdays and holidays.