At the beginning of the 20th century, many Seattle-area housewives cooked on coal stoves in their kitchens. Because coal was difficult to light, the fire was always kept burning. This also helped heat the kitchen and nearby rooms. Water could be heated by running it through the stove. A flue vented dangerous coal fumes to the outside.

In this 1905 Seattle kitchen, the large coal stove stands on a metal plate to protect the floor from heat and falling coals. A coal scuttle and a water tank stand nearby. A collapsible drying rack hangs to the left of the doorway. The tricycle, wallpaper, and furnishings suggest that the kitchen's owner has children and may be fairly well-to-do.

Webster & Stevens number: 5239