The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem, Oregon was established in 1889. The mill ceased operation entirely in 1962, primarily due to competition from manmade materials like polyester. Today the mill is a part of the Willamette Heritage Center. In the Picker House, wool processing underwent three important steps: burr picking, rag picking, and blending.
According to the Heritage Center:
“PICKING Is the process of mechanically removing foreign particles and vegetable matter from the wool fibers by means of metal teeth on a roller. Picking machines were also used to tear up used woolen garments for reprocessing and for blending different grades and sorts of wool.”
According to an information sign:
“The cold and poorly lit Picker House created hard conditions for the workers who had to become used to wearing layers of clothing and straining their eyes in the dim light.”
According to an information sign:
“In order to create less expensive yet sturdy options for the public, many mills recycled woold products. Extra bits of fabric from tailors and factories, even entire garments, were reprocessed to create a new product called ‘shoddy.”
According to an information sign:
“The fibers in shoddy wool are shorter due to breakage in the original processing and in picking: thus, they are not as high quality. Many believe this gave birth to the term ‘shoddy’ for poorly made items.”
With regard to Burr Picking, one information sign reports:
“Sheep wool gathers dirt, dung, seeds, twigs, burrs and other vegetation that are not always washed out during the scouring process. The burr picker combs through clean, dried virgin wool to remove these bulky impurities, protecting machinery and creating a better produce. Picking also loosens clumps and tangles in the new wool.”
More museum exhibits
Thomas Kay Woolen Mill: Fleece to Fabric (photo diary)
Thomas Kay Woolen Mill: Finishing room (photo diary)
Willamette Heritage Center: Waterpower runs a woolen mill (photo diary)
Willamette Heritage Center: The Methodist Parsonage (photo diary)
Willamette Heritage Center: The Jason Lee House (photo diary)
Willamette Heritage Center: The Boon House (photo diary)
Museums 101: The Miller Lumber Sawmill (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Gordon House by Frank Lloyd Wright (Photo Diary)