06/03/2026
Do you remember the Thor washing machine that the Henry County Museum, Clinton, Missouri so kindly donated to us? We've had an opportunity to do more research on it, so we wanted to present to you our updated findings! Many claim to have invented the first electric washing machine, but few have such an early advertising presence as the Hurley Machine Co. who produced Thor washing machines as early as 1907. Based on the configuration of the drive system and advertising from the era, this particular model appears to be later than that, likely from 1917-1920. At that time many homes weren’t wired for electricity. Hurley Machine Co. saw this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. The advertisements attached to this post aren’t aimed at the housewives who were doing the laundry but rather electrical contractors. They claimed 25% of all Thor Electric Home Laundry Machines at the time had gone into unwired homes, “but the current has followed.” Hurley proposed that the contractors sell their machines and use them to bring in new electrical wiring business. This generation of laundry machine is composed of a copper tub and lid with a wooden cylinder inside to agitate the clothes. It’s also equipped with a wringer for faster drying. The main visible difference between this model and the 1907-1908 model is the drive system, namely the lack of belts and pulleys. Our machine has a direct drive system with a single motor that operates both the wringer and the drum. In the early to mid 1900s innovation happened quickly, so the models that followed this machine were sleeker, more enclosed, and were mainly composed of metal rather than the wood that makes up nearly half of our machine. Eventually the Hurley Machine Co. even produced a convertible clothes and dish washing machine! We've thoroughly enjoyed exploring this rabbit hole, and we can't wait to keep learning both about our Thor machine and the time period it was built for. If you have any more information or leads about this or other Thor laundry machines we'd always love to hear it! Feel free to comment or message us!
