Providing Services

A growing population meant a greater demand for service jobs.

Featuring:

Ellen “Nellie" Skinner Reiner Flynn, (1873 – 1954), worker at Model Laundry

In 1895 Ellen “Nellie Skinner Reiner Flynn (1873-1954) took a job at the new Model Laundry in downtown Bloomington. There she sorted clothing into loads to be washed.

After it had been cleaned, dried, and ironed Nellie sorted the clothing again, so items could be returned to the correct client. It was hard, hot work, but there were other young ladies working with her, including Miss Tena Salzman, who worked as a starcher, and Miss Emma Schultz, who worked as an ironer. The three of them could chat as they did their tasks, making the work day go much faster.

A four-story brick building with horse drawn white carriages in front. the carriage have large wheels and are white with Model Laundry Co. printed on the side. Men stand next to each carriage in suits and hats.

The Model Laundry, located on east Monroe Street, offered a number of services to its customers, including the pick up and delivery of their laundered items.

A four-story brick building with horse drawn white carriages in front. the carriage have large wheels and are white with Model Laundry Co. printed on the side. Men stand next to each carriage in suits and hats.

Nellie had been at the Model Laundry nearly six years when disaster struck. Just after midnight on June 19, 1900, a fire broke out in the laundry that quickly consumed the building. The fire, fueled by the wind and flying embers, spread to adjacent wood buildings and continued to grow. By dawn 45 buildings and 5-1/2 blocks of the city, including its stately courthouse, had been reduced to little more than smoking rubble. Nellie was without a job.

Photo of rubble and destroyed buildings spanning multiple blocks. In the distance you can see the courthouse building and dome, which were destroyed but did not fall down.

The aftermath of the Bloomington fire on June 19, 1900.

Photo of rubble and destroyed buildings spanning multiple blocks. In the distance you can see the courthouse building and dome, which were destroyed but did not fall down.

Aided by the Peoria and Springfield fire departments, who had loaded their equipment onto train cars to get it to Bloomington, the last blaze was extinguished a little before 8 a.m.

The Model Laundry rebuilt. When it opened in 1901, Nellie was rehired to work as a cashier.

Nellie married in 1902, but continued to work — except to take time off to have two children. By the time she retired in 1942, she had put in 40 years with the company in a variety of positions, including, bookkeeper.

A black and white photo of 11 women standing together. They all are wearing dresses and have their hair up.

Based on the estimated date of this photograph, we believe Nellie is pictured here. We just don’t know which of these circa 1905 Model Laundry employees is her!

A black and white photo of 11 women standing together. They all are wearing dresses and have their hair up.

Model Laundry starch bucket, circa 1895

Photo of a copper bucket that is slightly dented, with a handle at the top and small handle at the bottom.

This Model Laundry starch bucket survived Bloomington’s Great Fire of 1900.

Donated by: Robert Ward
2001.530

Photo of a copper bucket that is slightly dented, with a handle at the top and small handle at the bottom.
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