Nov 25, 2018 2 min read

Bissell carpet sweeper

By the 1920s, the practice of cleaning had become increasingly easier, and one of the main tools that improved the process was the Bissell carpet sweeper.

In 1876, Melville and Anna Bissell were leading a simple life running a crockery store. One of the major hassles associated with running the store stemmed from sawdust – the packing material for crockery – that became embedded in the carpets. No matter how Anna tried to rid the store’s carpets of sawdust with a traditional broom, the problem persisted. That is when her husband, Melville, decided to construct a better sweeping system for his wife. The first carpet sweeper consisted of a box, wheels, handle and rollers that had brushes on them.

Melville’s invention was so successful that the couple patented it in 1876 and began to sell the sweepers in their store in 1883. In 1889, Melville died and Anna stepped into the role as the leader of the company. The move would make her the first female corporate CEO in history. She made the company a booming success by marketing the product throughout North America and Europe. The Bissell carpet sweeper even became a staple in the royal palace of Queen Victoria.

The Bissell carpet sweeper that is part of the collection of Washington County Historical Society is from the late 1920s. It is one of a handful of artifacts the historical society owns relating to household and daily life in the 1920s.

Katie West is former curator for the Washington County Historical Society.