Broom Maker
Crafting Beautiful Objects from Broomcorn
| | Wabash & Erie Canal Park Village | |
Broomcorn The Unique Plant
Broomcorn consists of a tall stately stalk (14- 18 feet) with a brush at the top and no ears. Broomcorn is a member of the sorghum family. The only part of the broomcorn that is used is the brush. The process of removing the brush is referred too as tabling. During tabling the stalk is brought down to the height level of the worker. This is done by. the worker walking backwards between two rows, bending the stalks diagonally across each other. The brush is then removed using a very sharp broomcorn knife.
Once cut the brush is gathered into small bundles and taken to have the seeds removed, usually by a thrashing machine. Once the seed has been removed, the broomcorn brush is ready for drying. The brush is spread out in layers on slated shelves a few inches apart.
Once the broomcorn is dry it is ready to be cut to custom lengths for the crafting of brooms and brushes. It may be dyed in various colors and recombined for the final production of beautiful functional and decorative objects.
Dyeing broomcorn and combining colors with custom bindings and unique handles produces exciting one of a kind objects.
Surrounded by small bunches of broomcorn brush the broommaker begins the process of creating a broom. The winding of the prepared broomcorn brush is facilitated by using the kick winder.
A mature stand of broomcorn ready for tabling and cutting.
The final step is to stitch flat using a broom press.
Erected by Tippecanoe
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Wabash & Erie Canal series list.
Location. 40° 35.517′ N, 86° 40.817′ W. Marker is in Delphi, Indiana, in Carroll County. It can be reached from the intersection of West North Washington Street and North Charles Street, on the right when traveling east. The marker is on the Grounds of the Wabash & Erie Canal Conference & Interpretive Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12252 West North Washington Street, Delphi IN 46923, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana and specifically in Central Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Credits. This page was last revised on December 25, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 332 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 25, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
