The Historic District

Stumbled upon this while looking for something else. (Isn't that always the way!)

https://archive.org/details/KitchenPlanBookThe

50 plans of model kitchens submitted for an American competition held by Hoosier. The point of the competition was "...to serve to point the way towards making the kitchen a more effective working unit than is now found in the average American home."

There is a fairly wide range of designs to be had (from humble single room to elaborate multi room with abundant built-ins). All have black and white drafts and illustrations per plan.

The book ends with a sort of "contest sponsored by" ad for two Hoosier models: "The Big Hoosier" and "The Hoosier Beauty" starting on page 51. Each model has a text blurb, a detailed illustration to show how useful it is, as well as side/front measurement detail illustrations.

Interesting to note lily all the images no longer have a middle of the kitchen work (harvest)table as in the past. Instead the work surfaces have been moved to the walls and what clear (counter hight) work surfaces there are, are minimal. Still, it is a long way from the compact work triangle that would soon be the standard.

From what I've seen, little thought was given to the layout of a kitchen prior to about 1920 or so. I'm assuming this is because in past decades many households had a maid who tended to the kitchen and the homeowners seldom went in there. Also, the 1920s was the first decade when appliances other than a stove became more affordable and as a result were more mainstream. Electric toasters, waffle irons, coffee pots, and the like made their way into US and Canadian houses and the owners needed a place to stash them when not in use.

Just twenty years on. Look at the change.
https://archive.org/details/LetUsTellYo ... WithCurtis