From the Archives - Sept. 29, 2022

Early matches were not trustworthy. Wooden matches made in the 1880s lit themselves when the rough phosphorus head accidentally rubbed together. Laborers and workmen often carried only a single match in a cloth pocket to work each day.

Wooden matches were used to light kindling or crushed paper in fireplaces and stoves, as well as, the wicks in kerosene lamps. In kitchens and workplaces, matches were usually stored in metal wall holders.

Most ordinary household match holders hung on a wall well away from any open flames. By hanging a metal holder on a nail, the homeowner forestalled any jiggling of unreliable matches (and thus self-combustion) and also kept matches out of the reach of children.

In the mid 20th century, matchbooks replaced some of the wooden matches.

This wooden match holder was an advertisement piece from K.V. Produce Co. The Kootenai Valley Produce Company operated from 1914 through 1955.

Your Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, sponsors this column.

Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you can visit the website at www.boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. The museum can be reached via email at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or by telephone at 208-267-7720. Thank you for your continued support.