Homes built particularly in rural areas and on farms in the early part of the 20^th century often had within them, usually coming in from the back or side door of the house, a special room called a “mud room.” Has anyone here seen a mud room? Perhaps some of you had one in your homes at some point?

A mud room had pretty much one single purpose: it was a place for “messiness.” Farmers coming in out of the fields, work-folk coming in from a hard day’s labor in mines, rivers, farms, or creeks, would shed their muddy boots, overalls, coats, or other equipment and hang them up in the mud room before entering into the living part of the home. Once they walked through the kitchen door, they stepped into “clean territory.” The mud room served as an intermediary space between the outdoors and the h…