18 Products That Were Once in Every American Household—Now They're Museum Pieces
Once essential in every American home, these nostalgic relics now gather dust in museums and thrift shops—silent witnesses to a bygone way of life.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
From rotary phones to butter churns, numerous household goods that were once ubiquitous in homes have receded into the past, today been preserved as relics of American existence. They are stories of changing technologies, cultural practices, and home rituals that defined generations. Delving into them is like thumbing through a time capsule—part nostalgic, part shocking, and enlightening about how far we’ve come.
1. Rotary Telephone
Image from CCP Solutions
Prior to smartphones, landlines were the norm, and the rotary phone was the monarch. Users needed to rotate the dial for every digit, which made misdials particularly exasperating. These days, they’re retro-cool antiques usually found in vintage decor stores or communication museums.
2. Washboard
Image from Ubuy Philippines
Before washing machines, Americans washed clothes by hand using a washboard and plenty of elbow grease. The washboard was frequently used with lye soap and a metal or wood tub. Now, it’s most commonly used as a musical instrument in jug bands or hung on rural-themed walls.
3. Butter Churn
Image from Lee Valley Tools
Butter used to come out of the family churn, not the supermarket. Families pumped a dasher up and down to cream butterfat out of buttermilk for hours. They’re now stored in living history museums as icons of 19th-century household drudgery.
4. Icebox
Image from Ebay PH
Prior to electric refrigerators, households employed iceboxes—insulated wooden containers refrigerated by massive chunks of ice. The iceman regularly delivered ice to them, keeping things fresh. They’re now museum relics and memories of pre-electric creativity.
5. Console Television
Image from Wikipedia
These giant wooden TV cabinets were as much pieces of furniture as they were screens. They were popular from the ’50s to the ’80s, and families gathered around them like a hearth. Wall-mounted flat screens and smart TVs have since replaced them.
6. Manual Typewriter
Image from Ubuy Philippines
Typewriters clattered and rang their way through thousands of letters, term papers, and office memos. Every keystroke pounded ink onto paper with mechanical reliability. Now, they rest under glass or in collectors’ lairs, valued for their industrial beauty.
7. Film Projector (8mm or 16mm)
Image from London Prop Hire
Home movies weren’t always digital; families utilized 8mm projectors to relive holiday and birthday times on living room walls. The whirr of the reels and soft flicker of light gave it magic. Nowadays, they’re nostalgic symbols of analog tales.
8. Slide Projector
Image from Wikipedia
The feared family vacation slideshow was an initiation of the ’60s and ’70s. Folks loaded 35mm slides into carousels and clicked through memories on an empty wall. Today, slides are museum artifacts or oddball props for retro-themed presentations.
9. Record Player Console
Image from The Vinyl Factory
Before Spotify, folks used to have big record console players that played LPs and occasionally the radio. They were usually centerpiece furniture, with wood veneer and concealed speakers. Now they’re collectors’ items or repurposed as bars and cabinets.
10. Milk Delivery Box
Image from Milk & More
Before, fresh milk used to be delivered daily in glass bottles, stored within a box at your doorstep. The milkman was a familiar figure well into the 1960s in most neighborhoods. These boxes now gather dust in antique stores, symbolizing a more personalized time.
11. Coal Scuttle
Image from The British Ironwork Centre
Before central heat, houses were heated by coal-burning stoves and fireplaces. The coal scuttle—a tiny metal bucket—contained coal for convenient use. Today, they’re decorative trinkets or used as country plant stands.
12. TV Antenna (Rabbit Ears)
Image from Amazon.com
Having a clear TV signal meant a pair of telescoping “rabbit ears” you twisted and contorted like a voodoo ceremony. They rested uncomfortably on top of TVs and frequently needed aluminum foil for added juice. Now they’re relics in the digital broadcast era.
13. Ashtray Stand
Image from Humidor Manila
Smoking at home used to be standard, and ornate ash stand trays were found in every living room. Many of them came with weighted bottoms, decorative bowls, and lighters integrated in some cases. Today, they are largely museum displays or ironic vintage store purchases.
14. Slide Rule
Image from Wikipedia
Before calculators, students and engineers worked with slide rules for intricate math. They resembled rulers but slid to bring out logarithmic functions and beyond. They’ve now been replaced wholeheartedly by electronic devices, but once represented intellectual curiosity.
15. Wall-Mounted Can Opener
Image from Ebay PH
Mounted near kitchen counters, these can openers were a staple of mid-20th-century convenience. You just pressed and twisted your can against the blade and crank. Now, they’re quirky decor in vintage diners or hanging out in kitchen museum displays.
16. Perfume Atomizer
Image from NinonUSA
These beautiful glass bottles contained a rubber bulb, allowing for the spraying of perfume in a fine mist. They were smooth, elegant to the touch, and more decoration than functionality, adorning many a vanity table. Now, they’re cherished collectibles, evoking a bygone era of glamour and beauty.
17. TV Guide Magazine
Image from Wikipedia
Prior to streaming menus and DVRs, Americans counted on the TV Guide to see what was on and when. Families would circle programs of interest for the week. The TV Guide is now a print relic, typically saved for its iconic covers and pop culture history.
18. Home Intercom System (Wired)
Image from Ubuy Philippines
In mid-century homes, wall-built intercoms allowed family members to speak with each other room to room. It was an upscale feature that felt like it was from the future at the time. Nowadays, it’s replaced by smart speakers—and exists only in retro ‘burbs or mid-mod revivals.