Grandpa and Grandma Pothast'sHoosier Cabinet

Grandpa and Grandma Pothast, my mom's parents, used this cabinet in their kitchen up until they put in a 'modern' kitchen in the 1960's. At that time, the top went upstairs onto a table in an unused bedroom and the base cabinet went to the barn. I have fond memories of playing around the top cabinet with my cousins. It held an old set of no longer used depression cups and plates. The rollup door just fascinated me to no end.

Restoration

While the top was in good shape when I bought it at their estate auction in the mid-1980's, the base cabinet was in sad shape. Mice had made homes in the drawers and the bread drawer was missing. I had the entire cabinet dipped - a sad mistake on my part because the back of the top cabinet fell apart and that was where the manufacturer sticker resided on the back. Anyway, the man that did the dipping for me made a new bread drawer and replace the bottom of the base cabinet. On the top, he replaced the back and two front door panels. I then refinished the cabinet. Much work was put into staining the new wood panels to match them up with the existing wood - with mediocre success.

History

These cabinets are commonly called Hoosier Cabinets as they were mostly made in Indiana. In fact, there was actually a company called Hoosier in Indiana that made them. Other companies were Wilson, Sellers, Napanee, Boone, and McDougall. You will usually see a name plate over the rollup part stating the name of the manufacturer. Our cabinet carried the Sears & Roebuck name, although I suspect it was probably made for Sears by one of the other manufacturers.

Hoosier Parts & Accessories

I found a company in Indiana that sells reproduction replacement parts for Hoosiers. It needed a new flour bin. You will notice the glass jar in the rollup area just above the white porcelain countertop - that is the sugar jar. I had the metal ring and bracket but had to purchase a new jar. There's also a side bracket for attaching a grinder (I have a cherry pitter attached to it). The bracket was gone but the holes were there and the reproduction one fits perfectly.

Kennedy Hardware
Van Dyke's Restorers

Stocking the Hoosier

If you take a look at the photos above, you'll notice the popcorn we raised stored in old canning jars with zinc lids. A little lower, you'll see the green beans that Grace and I canned. We love our Hoosier as a showpiece in our home. Having ties to our family history makes it all the more special.

Hoosier Cabinet Maker Plates

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