I Can't Wait To See Your Stories! It won't be possible to reply to every comment, but I will leave a thumbs up when I have read them. This is more about having a place for EVERYONE to enjoy the Memories! Thank you for all the support! Barry
The comments in response to your video IS a hope chest of memories. Such beautiful stories, memories, history, and comments from so many wonderful people. ❤
I LOVE THE PASSION AND LOVE YOU BRING INTO YOUR WORK. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US THE LANE FURNITURE COMPANY IN VIRGINIA. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO EXPLORE IT AS WELL.
Barry, I’ve worked as a Human Resources professional in various U.S. manufacturing facilities for over 20 years now. And I can never drive by abandoned factories without wondering what was built there or how many people were displaced when those factories closed its doors. My experiences, which far too often included layoffs, makes this video very melancholy for me. But it should also be a salute to all the hardworking men and women who worked hard to help provide quality products throughout the years.
Rose City Remodel - when I see an abandoned factory, it makes me sad and not a little angry. Who decided it was best for these manufacturing jobs to go elsewhere? Doing so stripped these communities of their pride of manufacture as well as the collective hopes and dreams of the generations of workers who invested countless hours of back breaking work to build and sustain the company. Often the workers in the other countries these factories landed in break their backs for companies chasing the same bottom line. And what are we all left with? Memories of a time when you could afford a quality bedroom set. Vague recollections of a time when having a full-time job meant you could buy a home and fill it with fat times and children and well-made items to pass on to the next generation. What will our children and children’s children leave for their heirs?? Injection molded bookcases?Plastic lawn furniture? Polyester rugs and some plastic tubs?? I pray we can reclaim our pride of manufacture and fill America’s homes with heirloom quality items again! Peace to you 🕊 Thank You 🙏🏾
I found a MCM styled Lane cedar chest at Goodwill. I saw it from a distance and my heart leapt as I went over to check the price. I thought there was a good chance it was cheap as it had a thick coat of shiny red paint. My Goodwill prices things fairly reasonably but this one? $250! I went back a couple days later to see if they came to their senses or if I could get them to reduce the price but it was gone. :( If it hadn’t been painted I could see the $250 but with the amount of work it would need it wasn’t worth that to me.
@@GaiaCarney I 100% agree. However, after the 1980’s there was a dramatic shift in America and American industries. This shift changed the focus from fair and equitable wages, from the thoughts that the “American Dream” of home ownership should apply to everyone willing to work for it, from quality products and production even. Instead, the focus of a select few, the 1%, became the ideology that the only things that mattered was profits and multimillion dollar CEO salaries - effectively robbing millions of Americans the opportunity for a decent living, affordable housing, pensions, and even healthcare . So perhaps this gives you an idea of who decided to move facilities of jobs to other countries!!
Oh Barry! I always depend on you for your deep and emotional stories, but this one outdid them all. Left me in tears. I have my mother's little chest from 1950, and when I was a little girl, I looked forward to getting mine, but never figured out how to get one when I graduated. My mother would be 93 now, but she passed at only 69. The little chest was looking a bit drab, so recently I gave it a good buff with 0000 steel wool, and a nice hand-rubbed coat of Odie's oil. Mom would be proud. Thank you so much for the lovely tour and the memories.❤
I found my grandmother's little cedar chest down at the bottom of her large Lane cedar chest under blankets and old clothes. It contained trinkets and love letters with a ribbon tied around them that had been written to her from my grandfather during his time in the army during WW2. The letters discribe Europe and also how much he missed her. I get the little cedar chest out several times a year and read the letters and take a deep smell of the cedar. For a few seconds I am transported back in time to my earliest memories of her. She really was an amazing wife,mother, and grandmother.
Barry, I watched this so late last night that I put my comments on hold until this morning. You are a unique young man in today's world. I mean that as a compliment. I wish I had a son like you, one who appreciates the former glory days of things that help build our country. Family, hard work and love is what made America a great country. Men like you, who believe in those principles made America a great country. You're a talented, hard working young man, who sets a fine example of an excellent citizen and patriot. I pray that you have continued success and God bless you and yours .
Your momma raised you right, Barry. You have and express such a reverence for the work ethic and quality of craftsmanship as it speaks to the culture of the time. This is a rarity and is much needed in today's inane cancel culture of planned obsolescence and casual consumerism. Thank you for your story telling. Love your videos!
Great work Barry. I live 3 blocks from that plant. I have 2 chests in my home now. My dad worked there 45 years. I'll never forget him coming home smelling like fresh cut cedar. I have so many stories I can share with you but for now a big thanks for telling this story. Be well.
@@MadCityModern Matter of fact I have a few of the glass blocks from the old plant I saved from the landfill. Was going to make keepsake pieces for rememberance displays but never got around to it. I'll gladly send you one if you'd like to maybe make something with it. Just need an address.
Thank you Barry! My Mother believed in the hope chest and she purchased a Lane cedar chest for my older sister. She used it as a coffee table for years before she bought other furniture. When it came time for me to begin gathering homewares mother couldn’t afford a chest for me but she did gather new items for years that I would use. I’ve been married for 53 years this year. America is changing, yet people like yourself encourage us to recall a hard time but a beautiful time when hand made furniture was preferred.
Barry you stirred up some long forgotten memories. I received my coupon for the free mini cedar chest when I graduated High School in 1972. I can still recall the weather the day my Mom and I drove to the furniture store in our big Pontiac Bonneville, I can still see the showroom floor and all the lovely selections. The salesman thought my Mom was also a new grad (she was a cute little gal) and she also got a free mini cedar chest, a fact she bragged to her sisters. I still use my cedar chest on a regular basis, can't imagine where I'd keep my out of season wool items without it. Thanks so much for the tour of the factory, you made me feel nostalgic.
My dad was from Altavista. He and most of his family worked at the Lane Company starting in the 30’s. His brother, my uncle , was the plant engineer there and designed and built the special machinery to automate the manufacturing of these small chests. It was called the miniature department . I was fortunate to see this operation running in the 70’s.
Oh my….like so many girls I received my lane box when I was in high school so long ago. Thank you for sharing your skills and your stories. You are preserving so much that the world is losing. Thank you for honoring the good men and women who sacrificed so much to raise their families with love and security. God bless you!
Same here! I still have mine with all the love letters from my first boyfriend decades ago! This is really a sad story of a wonderful company that was part of our lives.
I love this video. I have my grandma’s Lane chest from 1931 and my mom still has hers from the 50s. She got married in 56, so it’s older than that. She also had the little box. She used to keep her bills in it. These chests mean a great deal to me. Thank you so much for sharing this information.
Great to see you back Barry. My daughter (21) has the Lane cedar chest that was given to my grandmother when she was 15 years old. My mother received it from my grandmother and my oldest sister received it from my mother. She had two boys, so she passed it along to my youngest daughter. I am happy that it is still in our family and is valued and cherished by all of us.
Barry, thank you for your video. It brought back so many memories. I was a Furniture Rep for Lane Furniture from 1995 until 2005. It was truly an amazing company. I was very proud to work for a company who cared so much about taking care of not only their customers but their employees too. So much thought and care went into the product, I was so proud to walk into a furniture store and say, “hi, I am your Lane rep.”
Hello Barry, my mother has a Lane hope chest and it does have the smaller box too. She is now in a nursing center and I live in her home. I was born in 1964 and have a love for history so I understand what you felt walking through that factory. It hurt to see the condition it’s in now. I absolutely love your channel and the stories you include. Thank you so much for sharing and caring for these historic pieces. God Bless.
As a child, I remember my slightly older cousin having a hope chest filled with all kinds of home goods for later when she moved away from home. Even as a child, I always loved the concept of a hope chest.
Great story. I’m from Danville, right down the road from Altavista, VA. I have my grandmother’s mini Lane Hope chest. I keep a flower from her funeral and from my grandfather’s inside. Very dear to me. Thank you for this video. Good to see my native Virginia as well (I now live in Savannah GA). ❤️🙏❤️
I sincerely teared up when I heard this story. I received a Lane hope chest from my high school as a graduation gift in 1974. Unfortunately, I have no idea whay happened to it, nor did i know that the Lane hope chest gift was a huge campaign spanning decades. Thank you for making my day.
Loved this video!! As a mom to 8 and grandma to 10, I was touched by your tribute to mothers. I still have my mini cedar chest from a Wisconsin furniture store that sponsored them at my high school. I graduated in the late 70s. Over the years the hinge pins have dropped out and I no longer have the key. I keep a charm bracelet that I got for a graduation present. I keep some photos of friends and a button souvenir from when I went to the World's Fair in Knoxville. There are also newspaper clippings from when my husband and I got engaged. I've tossed a few photos in over the years, like when we went to the Fireside on our 25th wedding anniversary. When I opened it there was also a letter that my husband wrote me when he had to be in New York for a work trip back in 2000. I watch all your videos and am in awe at the beautiful restorations. I hope to try a project myself someday. Thank you for these, and the wonderful stories.
Excellent video Barry. I purchased a Lane cedar chest with my first paycheck in 1978. I had collected several items to place in it. Sadly, all the items have vanished but I still have my cedar chest. I recently inherited my husband's aunt's Lane cedar chest that is much nicer than mine but I love them both.
This episode was lovely. Thank you. I watched this with my husband and one of our daughters and a granddaughter. This meant a lot to us. My daughter has one of those little chests. It is nice to hear positive comments about mothers and their love for their husbands and children. That meant a lot to us. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments. We all enjoy watching your restorations.
I never knew about the story of the mini chests but I know my mom has her cedar chest she received as a graduation gift. As a child, I have fond memories of her showing my sisters and I the many treasures that were neatly and safely stored in that chest. It’s been almost three years since I’ve traveled home. I think I’m going to ask my mom to once again show me what she still has stored in her hope chest. Thank you for the walk down memory lane!
My mom’s cedar hope chest with stellar copper trim was the first piece I refinished when I was around 12. It changed from grubby and sad to a gleaming showpiece. Grimy finish and accumulated filth off, nourishing oil and brasso on. It made my eyes happy, as do your projects. Thanks for this story.
I'm only in my 50s but my mother made sure I had a hope chest. I didn't marry until after college but the chest was important as it was built for either living independently or with a husband. I wish people still did this for their daughters. I think it encourages independence.
I received one of those little boxes back in 1977. Still sits on my dresser with mostly watches from family in it. Mom and Dad's watch, grandfather's pocket watch, grandma's watch. I also have my mother's cedar chest. I have three grown daughter's. I got them all cedar chests. I have two Lane chests that are sitting in my garage that was given to me. Pretty rough shape. I have two granddaughters. They are only 7 and 2 but I plan on refinishing and restoring them to give to them to hold their treasures. This video brings tears to my eyes.
@@shericreates My chest was big, for the foot of the bed. It had my trousseau, including blankets, dishes and other kitchen items. I stashed away handed down quilts and decor as well. It is something that a girl and her parents can build on throughout her youth.
Hi Barry. I loved this video! It had so much historical info which resonated with me. When I was a young woman, I wanted one of these cedar chests, however, in my home we couldn’t afford such luxuries. But I did end up as a homemaker and mother, and they were the most rewarding years of my life! Your restorations turned out so well. Part of my fam is from the Virginia and N Carolina area, and I did have fam members who worked in the furniture industry-not necessarily for the Lane Co. That part of our country is known for furniture building, which I’m sure you are aware of. Such a beautifully done video!! ~Cathy
As I live in the U.K I found this video fascinating,after watching you restore many pieces of Lane furniture. I enjoyed the back story about the hope chests and just how integral they were to young women’s lives and so well made they could be passed down through the generations. Natalie😊
My senior class had more than 200 girls. When it came time to pass out the coupon cards for the little chests, the limited number of cards were given to a very popular girl who distributed them to her friends. I was not among them, but luckily for me, someone dropped their card on the floor of a classroom and I found it. There was no way to return it to the original owner because there was no name. So I kept it and redeemed the card for a little chest. I was delighted because back in the Sixties teen magazines always carried advertisements promising the chests to graduates. Fast forward 12 years and I married a man with the same name as, though unconnected to, the furniture store where I received my little chest. The name is stamped inside. Because of that, I’ve always felt that the chest was meant to be mine, after all. Thanks for your report on the Lane Company. I enjoyed it.
Another great video! I never got a 'Hope Chest', but I found something to use. I was given an old foot locker from WW2 my dad had. By the time I came along, he was old enough to be my grandfather, so I'm a GenX kid raised by proud members of the Greatest Generation. It was the first piece of furniture I repainted and reused. When I moved away at 19, I couldn't bring it with me. It got used as a toybox for the grandkids and great grandkids after I left. That was about 35 years ago. I wonder if the family still has it somewhere. My mother never got a chance to meet my son, but my dad did.
I remember those boxes, we all got a postcard to take to the furniture store to get a free “hope chest.” It was a way to get young people in to buy furniture for their first homes, creating customers for life.
Barry, this was an incredible beautiful video from the factory visit, to your family hope chests, to the history/story of the manufacturer of this furniture, etc. Kind of an early mother's day presentation. It's sad to hear that the manufacturer closed its doors, and my prayers to the men, women, and families. Unfortunately, I don't have a hope chest story. If there ever was a hope chest or a chest of any kind in the family, it would've been from my mother's mother. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 15, large items like furniture were put in storage, but the storage was lost. All I have from my grandmother is pictures, a coin collection, and best of all memories. As for my own mother, I only mainly have pictures, knick knacks, and memories too, as she ended up passing away when I was 22 with nothing to her name. My parents divorced when I was 9, and my father passed away in 2021 and nothing to his name. I am a survivor of a broken home/family, but I cherish what I can despite what was experienced in the past. Addiction/substance abuse combined with unhealthy mental health is a killer in a lot of families, and I'm thankful my childhood/adolescence wasn't any worse; I pray for those that it is. 🙏 Anyways, thank you for all you do. God bless you and your family. ❤
Hey MCM, I shared my Lane Cedar Chest story in your previous video - the one about how the chest saved my wedding dress from a house fire. But thanks for reminding me about how I acquired the chest in the first place. I was 16 and my mom had a cedar chest of her own. I loved the idea of collecting items for my "someday" home. So I got a job at a sandwich shop and saved my money to buy the Lane Cedar Chest. I added dishes, silverware, tablecloth & sheets, and other odds and ends that I eventually used in my first apartment. Blessings :)
What a great story! I never had a hope chest. I cannot imagine my parents buying me one in the early 70s. I was expected to go to college after high school, and get a job. Getting married was something for the “future”. Looking back, I can’t remember any of my friends having a hope chest, either. I think that by the 70s, the concept was obsolete, or at least on the way out. Oddly enough, when I did get married, I had nothing to set up a home….that’s when I became a regular at auctions. It would have been nice to have a hope chest full of linens, dishes, etc. I love the Acclaim hope chest! I’m the owner of one of the end tables from 1966, and enjoy it.
Well this was another great episode Barry. My family was too poor to own a Lane chest when they were farming. We did have my grandmother's wooden chest which my Mother had restored and was kept at the end of the master bed until her passing. I wish I knew who got the chest but it was gone by the time I flew home to see the rest of her worldly goods sold. I got my parents Red Wing Bob White pottery which is my prized possession. I always enjoy your take on the history of furniture.
Sometimes I watch your videos more than once. I shared that I sent one to one of my siblings after one of my favorites. Your attention to the emotional impact on your viewers is sublime. Here's hoping many more episodes appear.
I started filling my Hope chest when I was about 10. It didn’t feel like it was for when I was married, but rather for when I was living on my own with a career. I was thrilled to get Dansk plates or antiques or cookie cutters. I still have many of those things. Some are stored in antique trunks. It is my daughter, recently graduated and on her own, who bought a Lane chest. It holds her TV, and not supplies for her future, but since we bought it together, it holds memories for us both.
I've been waiting for this video to learn more about these little cedar boxes! Beautifully done, thank you so much! My sister and I received ours upon graduation in 1992 and 1995. My mom didn't have a Lane hope chest, but instead she used a small three drawer chest with a cream/ivory marble inlay top (her only piece of real wood furniture). Upon her death, it was the only piece of furniture I wanted from our childhood house as I had been itching to strip it of it's awful 70's speckled stain finish for many years. Timing was perfect as it coincided with the start of covid. I sanded it down to bare wood and loved the look so I left it that way and now it sits as an entry table near my front door.
It sometimes feels silly, but you're right that furniture can hold and invoke memories. My grandmother passed away recently, and my cousin shared one of her favorite memories that included a simple green stool that was always in grandma's dining room.
Love your videos, info you provide and of course al of your restoration projects. I am 53 and the only hope chest i ever saw was one my grandmother received when she got married sometime in the 30's. It was not a Lane chest, but it was a cedar chest built in the Philippines. I was born and raised in Hawaii and was not familiar with Lane until I moved to the continental states over 30 years ago. The life of a woman back in those days was to be domestic...get married, have children, take care of a home and her husband. I have a lot of respect for the women of those times. And while I do many of those same things today, to have the "choice" to have a career and be independent as well is something I am grateful for. Thank you Barry!
Oh my heart. Barry, thank you for such a perfectly timed video. I lost my Mom ten years ago today. My Dad had passed exactly one month to the day ahead of her. I’m convinced he went first so he would be there to greet her. I too have a Lane cedar hope chest that my husband bought me when we first were married 48 years ago. It’s still sitting in the hallway where l pass it everyday.
Aw and my heart now Chris. I feel your pain. It doesn't matter how long goes by, we never get over losing our mothers. On 6th May next it will be 17 years since I lost mine at the age of 67. Sending hugs from Ireland.
What a beautifully presented story. My mother is a watercolor painter and turned 100 in December. I have her paintings hung all through my house and I can remember the days when she and a friend took all of us kids to some outdoor painting site. They painted we played. She was from the time of mothers being home with the kids and that is a tough job at times!
Great story, Barry. I remember the chest my Mother kept in her bedroom on the dresser and she kept the earrings I gave her when I went on a field trip to Holland Michigan when I was in elementary school. May she rest in peace. Thanks Barry, I hadn't thought about those earrings in a long time, and it was a nice memory of her.
I still have the little chest I received when I graduated high school. I always wanted a real cedar chest, but we could not afford one. When I was in college, a neighbor of my parents wanted to sell an old cedar chest of theirs, so I bought it for $100. That was a TON of money for me then!! I still have it and it is the most beautiful piece I own. Even though it did not belong to our family, it still reminds me of my mom and dad who found it for me.
Barry, most beautiful video honoring our mothers and grandmother's. The restored little chest is gorgeous. My mom had a lane cedar chest like the one you restored on a previous video. You are magnificent. Keep the restoration videos coming. Thank you
What an awesome story. I come from New Zealand. We had what we called glory boxes I got mine when I turned 16 and entered nursing. Although from the 70's.. I still use it and yes as a memory box. I also inherited 2 turned inlaid wooden lamp stands, a jewelry bowl and pedestal fruit bowl made by my grandfather still in excellent condition. I also have a double tared half round hall table he made, that sadly needs restoration. You have given me the push to get it sorted Thank you Barry 😊
Hi Barry...My mother-in-law was married in 1941 and received a Lane cedar chest in the waterfall style. My mother graduated high school in 1948 and she had a small cedar chest...like the one you restored on your video. She and my father were married in 1949 and she was given a waterfall cedar chest from her mother for the occasion. When I was 17 I got a Lane "hope chest" for Christmas to keep all my special things for when I got engaged, married and had children. When I graduated in 1970 I was excited to get a small chest as well, but they were out of them when I went to get one. My sister inherited mom's cedar chest and my daughter has my mothers-in-law cedar chest. So much "hope" was stored in the 3 cedar chests. Thank you for bringing those memories back all together today. Have a lovely week!
I grew up as the only girl in a home full of brothers. Whenever I felt sad, my mother would take me to her bedroom and we would explore all the family treasures she secreted away in her hope chest. It was always magical and healing. I have that chest now, and shared similar special moments with my own daughters. With the recent birth of my first granddaughter, the chest will soon be passed to the next generation. Thank-you for sharing your wonderful story of hope chests.
Beautifully and sensitively told Barry, may people will definitely appreciate this story and the way it was conveyed. In Australia. we called these: "Glory Boxes" where a young woman would collect and store items for her future home and family; we used various chests but the Chinese carved camphor wood boxes were very popular for this purpose (and I have such an one myself).
I loved this video! My mom had 2 cedar chests...her dad worked at the LaJunta Railroad station and knew when "imperfect" furniture was coming into town, so was able to purchase a chest. I don't remember why she ended up with 2, but I was blessed with one of them and my niece got the other one --we both cherish the chests and the memories. Also I have most all of the contents she saved; photo albums, my dad's uniform ribbons, magazines, TV guides, etc. As for the graduation box - the stores ran out of them in my city. There were 3 high schools with huge classes, so many girls, not enough boxes. But life went on. Thank you for a wonderful story today. ❣
Wonderful video! I have a Lane cedar chest in the “Copenhagen” style from 1955. A while ago I found a Lane furniture ad in Better Homes & Gardens (Dec 1955) featuring the same model. It seems pretty rare as I’ve never seen another one online or at any sales. It’s really impressive how Lane made cedar chests in such a wide variety of styles.
I love these sorts of videos from you. Very bittersweet, but the way you talked about your mother and grandmother makes me excited to start my journey as a wife this June.
What a wonderful story. Deeply moving and showing the abandoned factory added more poingancy. I remember my younger sister getting one of those little chests and she had a large hope chest. She had always wanted to be a wife and mother and these boxes/chests were dear to her. I on the other hand did not feel a calling to marriage, but wanted to do something outside the home. The problem a lot of women had with the Lane idea was not the nurturing of future mothers, but the sadly, often implied assumption that it was the *only* way for women. I think many of us have grown past the rebellion against marriage, especially as today so many more avenues are open to women, avenues that we opened ourselves with the same grit and determination that our sisters had for their families..
Great work! When you mentioned the part about your grandmother it reminded me of both of mine when they were alive. While I never got a hope chest, since I like playing music, one of my grandmother gifted me my Grandfather’s 73 Gibson Les Paul Custom, and the memories I have with that guitar while also always remembering where it came from has always meant the world to me… probably why I call that guitar my inanimate child. Thank you for all your videos, love keeping up with it.
Very nice piece, Barry! Thank you for showing the key to the Lane box, which enabled me to reunite the key with my box that I received in the late 70’s! 😊
I've commented on previous videos you have done, but will say it again.. Barry, you truly have many talents, but storytelling has got to be (I my humble opinion) one of your very best atrobutes. Please keep doing exactly what you do. From a fellow Wiscosinite, you are a treasure.
I've shared my story before, but I love watching the work you do on furniture, especially Lane Cedar chests. My mother left me hers that my dad gave her when they were engaged in 1948 and it has such sentimental memories for me. ❤
I really enjoyed this video. That is tragic about the furniture company shutting down. My wife has a miniature box like the one in the video that you did such a beautiful job on. I think but I am not sure, but her big cedar chest is also a Lane. I don't think my mother ever had a cedar chest. If she did, she didn't have it when I was growing up, and she is not here anymore to ask. God, I miss my mom and dad. More every year it seems. Thanks for the video, and I am now off to watch the other one. Take good care of yourself my RUclips friend.
My mom had a beautiful Lane cedar chest when I was little, 1962. Loved opening it up and taking a wiff. Family heirlooms, blankets and her wedding dress. Left behind in a divorce, such a loss, but warm memories😊
Hi Barry. Loved your journey to VA. You are brave to enter an abandoned factory. I would be afraid unless I had my husband along. I have seen these little boxes a lot, and now I know the story behind them. Thanks for the great video!
Barry, great tribute to generations of mothers, the Lane Company and its employees, and the soldiers in the pictures you have in your box. This is the way I like to learn history..who made it, and ths rest of the story. I received the very small chest upon high school graduation in 1977 near Chicago. It was just handed to us by the school. My mother had a cedar chest, I don't know the brand. She kept her clothes from a much earlier time and other textiles that were sentimental. When Mom died my sister wanted the chest and I wanted the quilt in it that my grandmother had commissioned for my mother. Soon she wanted to trade for the quilt but I wouldn't trade. The quilt was worn but cherished. Unfortunately without the cedar chest, mice made a nest of it and in it. Then I put it in the wash and unintentionally ruined it more. You are right that hope chests eventually become memory chests. And they keep the memories safe.
I always love the thought and care you put into your videos. This is such a cool opportunity and appreciate you sharing! I drive through Roanoke often and had no idea that’s where the Lane factory was. I haven’t inherited much furniture from my family, but I’ve collected a fair amount of old furniture second hand. I have that drop leaf table you showed in this video, a Lane cedar chest, and a couple Hope chests that I’ve found at Goodwills. It’s such a treasure finding them and I’ve enjoyed learning more about the company through you.
I have mentioned this before but I have my Noni's waterfall style cedar chest filled still with her various crocheted items. She was highly skilled. My own cedar chest from my graduation is filled with memorabilia from my children. Thank you for the walk through history
I love the story, the factory tour, the restoration & adore the story teller! Thanks for another GREAT video... this type of content just "gets me"! 😢 🤗 Be well my friend!
❤ Love this video! I did not have a Lane chest, I was introduced to them in college when my college roommate had one where she was in fact saving things for her future home with her future spouse. I did, however get a baby chest for my husband when we got married in 1999 for him to store his wallet, watch and jewelery in. He still has it. We’ve been married 24 years have two kids. I hope to pass it on.
Oh Barry what a beautiful video!! Here in Australia I started my “glory box” as a young teen. It wasn’t a Lane but it was cedar. My passed away 3 yrs ago this week and this video reminded me of the wonderful memories I shared with my mum talking about objects I should be collecting for when I get married and the little things here and there that she gave me to help me prepare for my own home.
I have a small cedar box that was handmade by my dad. He died at age 39 in 1972 of lung cancer. I keep a variety of small mementos in it… bits of faux flowers from my baby siblings graves, a tie tac from my dad, a scrap of paper on which he had written his name and address. There’s also a couple of news paper clippings. Memories are important. Thank you for sharing your story and experiences with us.
Oh my! Such a truly wonderful episode, made me so emotional and thankful that I have my mum and dad here, both in their. 70’s, my dad is the town crier and also Father Christmas at that most wonderful time of year, both jobs are for charities and he loves them, mum loves a good charity shop, buying her bargains and loves to have dinner parties, also gives her support to whatever my dad is doing. Nan had a huge metal chest that was passed to my mum, full of linens and things to use in their first home. It was mine when I lived at home, full of my precious memories. It is now in their garage and stores outdoor cushions. One day it will be mine again but I’m in no rush for that day to come! Really lovely to see the wood come alive. It is so sad when a business closes their doors, too many have gone! Thank you, love to all from the uk 🇬🇧 x
Great video! Lots of memories of my mother's hope chest. It was off limits to look into unless mom opened it herself. Then she would go through things and tell us stories about everything in it. What fun that was. Thanks, Barry.
Barry, thank you so much for this video. I graduated from high school in 1972 and I still have my own little cedar chest just like yours. I keep little odds and ends from my early adult years safely tucked inside. Maybe one day I will pass it on to my granddaughter who is currently only 4 years old. I am touched by your passion, God bless!
Thank you Barry. This was an emotional episode and I can’t thank you enough. I’m a mother/house wife that did have a skill/trade. I was a barber. Raised 2 boys. I was proud of the furniture that I was blessed to afford to buy. My sister was lucky enough to receive for her 1981 graduation gift a cedar Hope chest. She still has it today. In 1983 when I graduated my folks were divorced, and I lived with my father. We didn’t have much money. I got a boom box 😔🤷♀️ Thank you again for a beautiful video.
Great story telling! I love your collection of miniature hope chests! I’ve got two of my own that I’ve picked up at thrift stores and restored. I often wonder their history and how their owners once incorporated them into their lives.
I remember my Mothers cedar chest. It’s full of all the treasures of her life. I haven’t seen it opened since I was a child, but the thing I remember most, was a tiny porcelain doll no bigger than three inches. It had a beautifully painted face and the arms and legs moved and it had a lovely little pink crocheted dress. It was from her childhood. I don’t know if it’s still there or not. The chest is still in my parents home, but my beautiful Mother left the Earth a few years ago, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to open her cedar chest. Thank you for this one, from a Mother and a Daughter.❤️😔🐝
Thank you for acknowledging that the girl graduate marketing program had a side that wasn’t all rosy nostalgia and happy memories. I was born in 1958 and graduated in 1976, and got my mini Lane “hope chest” like everyone else. Even then, I knew I wasn’t interested in marriage and motherhood, but the pressure was pretty intense from all sides, including Lane’s marketing assumption that I needed to get married as soon as possible. I remember being angry that a company like that would get in my personal business by pushing such a product on me at the age of 17. Your piece was fascinating, and I enjoyed learning more about Lane furniture. I just wanted to thank you for mentioning that there are those who objected to the girl grad scheme.
I graduated HS in a small town on the Hudson River. The year was 1970 and I still have my miniature hope chest. Like you I keep small keepsakes in it. I love your videos
I spent over 40 years doing archaeology and architectural history work throughout the Eastern US. Accordingly, I spent a lot of time in abandoned places going back as long ago as 10,000 years ago. There is always some remnant of the energy of those who had gone before in these places. Sometimes that sense is very strong, and sometimes is is very subtle, but it's always there when I take the time to open myself to it, so I'm not at all surprised that you seem to have had a special experience when visiting the Lane site.
I graduated in 1965 class of fall 1964 and we received our little land cedar chest also thru the program. I still have it but need to get a new lock. So happy to see this video. ❤❤❤
My Mom had one of these small chests. I believe she received it as a gift in the 1950s. I've had it since the 1980s. After seeing your video, it has so much more meaning to me now.
Aw, what a beautiful video! Moms are really the best. I miss mine terribly. My little chest is also used to keep old photos and small things that spark sweet memories. I got my chest as a graduation gift from the very nice lady who owned the house we rented in the US. She knew we would be returning to Brazil soon, and wanted me to have a memory of her family with me. I still do. Dear Ms. Woodward. I do not know where she is, or if she is still living, but my memory of her, her husband and the very nice house we lived in are as fresh as in the 1970s.
My mother had 3 of those boxes. Born 1922 past 2013. Those boxes are very special to my sister and I. Thank you for sharing the story of Lane Furniture Factory.
I inherited my cedar chest from my aunt upon her passing. In her estate she had specifically underlined “all” when mentioning its contents. Only when we had a look thru her treasures, (it was packed full as it was her hope chest but she succumbed to cancer at a very early age) did we find her engagement ring. That was the first that anyone in the family became aware that she had been engaged long before her death. I returned the ring to “uncle Edwin” as we all had been calling him, not knowing that had she survived he would have become our uncle in a legal sense. Now some 55 yrs later it sits at the foot of my bed still holding many of her treasures.
I was born in 1960 in Australia and didn’t have a beautiful Lane hope chest, but rather a large wooden box my father bought home from work when I was a young child. When I was engaged I cleaned it out and stored all the items I bought to set up what would be our first home. I remember my husbands grandparents winning small items in raffles and at bingo games and giving them to us and also my grandmother giving me small amounts of money to purchase items.neither of our grandparents were well off which makes these items even more special. I still have a few of them after 43 years and treasure them as reminders of their love.
I know you don't consider yourself a teacher but you taught me. Somewhere, far, far away, in a rusty garden shed, at the other end of the world, is a drawer containing a small stash of wood veneers....they got there directly because of you...thank you for sharing and encouraging us all to have a go!
I have no furniture from my parents who left everything behind after WWII and emigrated to Canada. They both worked minimum wage jobs until retirement and did not buy quality furniture. My brother has my dad’s pendulum wooden wall clock that was given after 40 years working at a lumber mill but that’s about it. My parents are now both gone and I never knew their families. I hope those of you who have these heirlooms appreciate how lucky you are to have family furniture that was passed down the generations. I love watching you work, Barry, and the love and care you give these pieces. Thank you.
So interesting. I, as well as my female classmates, received the small (free) Lane chest at the end of high school, 1966. In small town Ontario Canada! Many years later, and sadly, I came to possess my own Mother's Lane keepsake chest after her far too early death at 65. She had graduated high school in 1936! It’s contents are priceless to me. So, this programme reached many hundreds of thousands of us high school graduates even in the crazy 60s, and even in Canada! With no marital ambitions until my early 30s I went on to university and a career before marrying and having a family. My mother too became a Registered Nurse before her marriage and having a family of six. Even so, the little cedar chests were always part of our households. Bittersweet but also heartwarming to watch this video. Thanks. ❤
Beautiful video Barry. Truly, the most significant memories are tied to little treasures that fit in these boxes. Got me choked up a bit, lost Mom just over 3 years ago. She would have loved your content, so heartfelt and genuine.
Enjoyed your story. To bad you didn't see this massive plant in function. It was just about every family work spot. My whole family worked there. Mom 33 years me , Dad brothers sisters all. We called bologna Lane steak. Great bonuses when we received them. Turkey , hams , sheets , towels as our Christmas gift. I have so many cedar chest, big & small. Thank you all for bringing your video to life.
I love your videos, Barry. I was a stay at home mom/homemaker for many years and I also loved it. 😍 I work now, but I treasure those early years of married life raising my children and keeping house. Thank you for uplifting the role of homemaker. ❤
In 1967 when I graduated high school, we were given miniature Lane hope chests as a memento. I loved it and kept my "valuables" in there. Several years later, after I was married and moved away, our apartment was burglarized and my little chest was gone. Seeing one in this video has wrung out a few tears for the old memories that surfaced. I hope it's still in someone else's house, maybe another young lady who keeps her stuff in it, and not in a landfill.
Oh wow, I love your videos, your stories. This was one of them. Nice trip, sad pictures of the factory, moving story, nice little chest renovation. There is nothing like these lane hope cedar chests in my country. I wish there was something with such a great tradition, something what would be passed down from generation to generation. I would be so proud to have inherited such a great piece of furniture. Love from Pilsen, Czech republic, Europe
I didn't have a mother growing up. My granny ( my dad's mother ) was my biggest influence born in 1908 she rode an orphan train to western KY to work on a tobacco farm till she was old enough to marry. She had 10 children and a small hope chest. I don't know what happen to it bc I was young when she died. I've always wanted one to remind me of what a incredible strong woman and mother she was. Thank you Barry ❤
I have a miniature chest/box. But my actual hope chest was built by my high school/college boyfriend in 1982. My friends thought I was nuts wanting a hope chest as a teen feminist. But I loved my grandmother's chest. In high school I bought some nice kitchen items and antique tablecloths and stored on my chest. Both my grandmothers knitted each of 4 granddaughters a baby sweater set. I kept mine for years - had my baby at 42. My hope chest is in my closet. I kept it when we broke up and still cherish I.
Thank you Barry for those beautiful memories you shared. Touched my heart. Being a mom myself is one of the greatest moments in my life. I miss my mom who passed away 5 years ago. I too have a cedar chest, it will be passed down to my daughter. I love your videos. Thanks for all you do.
My grandmother gave me a cedar hope chest when I was a little girl. And as I grew up, we collected the things I might need, including the cutlery I use today, that she and I picked out together and purchased with Betty Crocker box top coupons. It now holds the many quilt tops she made, but never quilted. I miss her. Thank you for telling such a beautiful and thoughtful story.
Thank you so much for bringing the important things in life to the forefront. People really need to step back and remember the awesome people in our past. I look forward every night to watching your channel.
I Can't Wait To See Your Stories! It won't be possible to reply to every comment, but I will leave a thumbs up when I have read them. This is more about having a place for EVERYONE to enjoy the Memories! Thank you for all the support! Barry
The comments in response to your video IS a hope chest of memories. Such beautiful stories, memories, history, and comments from so many wonderful people. ❤
I LOVE THE PASSION AND LOVE YOU BRING INTO YOUR WORK. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US THE LANE FURNITURE COMPANY IN VIRGINIA. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO EXPLORE IT AS WELL.
Barry, I’ve worked as a Human Resources professional in various U.S. manufacturing facilities for over 20 years now. And I can never drive by abandoned factories without wondering what was built there or how many people were displaced when those factories closed its doors. My experiences, which far too often included layoffs, makes this video very melancholy for me. But it should also be a salute to all the hardworking men and women who worked hard to help provide quality products throughout the years.
Rose City Remodel - when I see an abandoned factory, it makes me sad and not a little angry. Who decided it was best for these manufacturing jobs to go elsewhere? Doing so stripped these communities of their pride of manufacture as well as the collective hopes and dreams of the generations of workers who invested countless hours of back breaking work to build and sustain the company.
Often the workers in the other countries these factories landed in break their backs for companies chasing the same bottom line.
And what are we all left with? Memories of a time when you could afford a quality bedroom set. Vague recollections of a time when having a full-time job meant you could buy a home and fill it with fat times and children and well-made items to pass on to the next generation.
What will our children and children’s children leave for their heirs?? Injection molded bookcases?Plastic lawn furniture? Polyester rugs and some plastic tubs??
I pray we can reclaim our pride of manufacture and fill America’s homes with heirloom quality items again!
Peace to you 🕊 Thank You 🙏🏾
I found a MCM styled Lane cedar chest at Goodwill. I saw it from a distance and my heart leapt as I went over to check the price. I thought there was a good chance it was cheap as it had a thick coat of shiny red paint. My Goodwill prices things fairly reasonably but this one? $250! I went back a couple days later to see if they came to their senses or if I could get them to reduce the price but it was gone. :( If it hadn’t been painted I could see the $250 but with the amount of work it would need it wasn’t worth that to me.
@@GaiaCarney very well said. Very! I salute you 👍🏼❤️🇺🇸
@@GaiaCarney I 100% agree. However, after the 1980’s there was a dramatic shift in America and American industries. This shift changed the focus from fair and equitable wages, from the thoughts that the “American Dream” of home ownership should apply to everyone willing to work for it, from quality products and production even. Instead, the focus of a select few, the 1%, became the ideology that the only things that mattered was profits and multimillion dollar CEO salaries - effectively robbing millions of Americans the opportunity for a decent living, affordable housing, pensions, and even healthcare .
So perhaps this gives you an idea of who decided to move facilities of jobs to other countries!!
Very well said.
Oh Barry! I always depend on you for your deep and emotional stories, but this one outdid them all. Left me in tears. I have my mother's little chest from 1950, and when I was a little girl, I looked forward to getting mine, but never figured out how to get one when I graduated. My mother would be 93 now, but she passed at only 69. The little chest was looking a bit drab, so recently I gave it a good buff with 0000 steel wool, and a nice hand-rubbed coat of Odie's oil. Mom would be proud. Thank you so much for the lovely tour and the memories.❤
I found my grandmother's little cedar chest down at the bottom of her large Lane cedar chest under blankets and old clothes. It contained trinkets and love letters with a ribbon tied around them that had been written to her from my grandfather during his time in the army during WW2. The letters discribe Europe and also how much he missed her. I get the little cedar chest out several times a year and read the letters and take a deep smell of the cedar. For a few seconds I am transported back in time to my earliest memories of her. She really was an amazing wife,mother, and grandmother.
This is wonderful
Sweet❤🇺🇸
Barry, I watched this so late last night that I put my comments on hold until this morning. You are a unique young man in today's world. I mean that as a compliment. I wish I had a son like you, one who appreciates the former glory days of things that help build our country. Family, hard work and love is what made America a great country. Men like you, who believe in those principles made America a great country. You're a talented, hard working young man, who sets a fine example of an excellent citizen and patriot.
I pray that you have continued success and God bless you and yours .
Your momma raised you right, Barry. You have and express such a reverence for the work ethic and quality of craftsmanship as it speaks to the culture of the time. This is a rarity and is much needed in today's inane cancel culture of planned obsolescence and casual consumerism. Thank you for your story telling. Love your videos!
Great work Barry. I live 3 blocks from that plant. I have 2 chests in my home now. My dad worked there 45 years. I'll never forget him coming home smelling like fresh cut cedar. I have so many stories I can share with you but for now a big thanks for telling this story. Be well.
Wow! Awesome!
@@MadCityModern Matter of fact I have a few of the glass blocks from the old plant I saved from the landfill. Was going to make keepsake pieces for rememberance displays but never got around to it. I'll gladly send you one if you'd like to maybe make something with it. Just need an address.
I'd love to hear some of those stories!!
Thank you Barry! My Mother believed in the hope chest and she purchased a Lane cedar chest for my older sister. She used it as a coffee table for years before she bought other furniture. When it came time for me to begin gathering homewares mother couldn’t afford a chest for me but she did gather new items for years that I would use. I’ve been married for 53 years this year. America is changing, yet people like yourself encourage us to recall a hard time but a beautiful time when hand made furniture was preferred.
And a time when it was expected and accepted to want to be married, and to be an excellent homemaker ❤
Barry you stirred up some long forgotten memories. I received my coupon for the free mini cedar chest when I graduated High School in 1972. I can still recall the weather the day my Mom and I drove to the furniture store in our big Pontiac Bonneville, I can still see the showroom floor and all the lovely selections. The salesman thought my Mom was also a new grad (she was a cute little gal) and she also got a free mini cedar chest, a fact she bragged to her sisters. I still use my cedar chest on a regular basis, can't imagine where I'd keep my out of season wool items without it. Thanks so much for the tour of the factory, you made me feel nostalgic.
My dad was from Altavista. He and most of his family worked at the Lane Company starting in the 30’s. His brother, my uncle , was the plant engineer there and designed and built the special machinery to automate the manufacturing of these small chests. It was called the miniature department . I was fortunate to see this operation running in the 70’s.
Oh my….like so many girls I received my lane box when I was in high school so long ago. Thank you for sharing your skills and your stories. You are preserving so much that the world is losing. Thank you for honoring the good men and women who sacrificed so much to raise their families with love and security. God bless you!
Same here! I still have mine with all the love letters from my first boyfriend decades ago! This is really a sad story of a wonderful company that was part of our lives.
I love this video. I have my grandma’s Lane chest from 1931 and my mom still has hers from the 50s. She got married in 56, so it’s older than that. She also had the little box. She used to keep her bills in it. These chests mean a great deal to me. Thank you so much for sharing this information.
Great to see you back Barry.
My daughter (21) has the Lane cedar chest that was given to my grandmother when she was 15 years old. My mother received it from my grandmother and my oldest sister received it from my mother. She had two boys, so she passed it along to my youngest daughter. I am happy that it is still in our family and is valued and cherished by all of us.
You are a great storyteller. I feel the charm of vintage items also tells a great story :) Great video!
Barry, thank you for your video. It brought back so many memories. I was a Furniture Rep for Lane Furniture from 1995 until 2005. It was truly an amazing company. I was very proud to work for a company who cared so much about taking care of not only their customers but their employees too. So much thought and care went into the product, I was so proud to walk into a furniture store and say, “hi, I am your Lane rep.”
Very cool!
Hello Barry, my mother has a Lane hope chest and it does have the smaller box too. She is now in a nursing center and I live in her home. I was born in 1964 and have a love for history so I understand what you felt walking through that factory. It hurt to see the condition it’s in now. I absolutely love your channel and the stories you include. Thank you so much for sharing and caring for these historic pieces. God Bless.
As a child, I remember my slightly older cousin having a hope chest filled with all kinds of home goods for later when she moved away from home. Even as a child, I always loved the concept of a hope chest.
Great story. I’m from Danville, right down the road from Altavista, VA. I have my grandmother’s mini Lane Hope chest. I keep a flower from her funeral and from my grandfather’s inside. Very dear to me. Thank you for this video. Good to see my native Virginia as well (I now live in Savannah GA). ❤️🙏❤️
I sincerely teared up when I heard this story. I received a Lane hope chest from my high school as a graduation gift in 1974. Unfortunately, I have no idea whay happened to it, nor did i know that the Lane hope chest gift was a huge campaign spanning decades. Thank you for making my day.
Loved this video!! As a mom to 8 and grandma to 10, I was touched by your tribute to mothers. I still have my mini cedar chest from a Wisconsin furniture store that sponsored them at my high school. I graduated in the late 70s. Over the years the hinge pins have dropped out and I no longer have the key. I keep a charm bracelet that I got for a graduation present. I keep some photos of friends and a button souvenir from when I went to the World's Fair in Knoxville. There are also newspaper clippings from when my husband and I got engaged. I've tossed a few photos in over the years, like when we went to the Fireside on our 25th wedding anniversary. When I opened it there was also a letter that my husband wrote me when he had to be in New York for a work trip back in 2000. I watch all your videos and am in awe at the beautiful restorations. I hope to try a project myself someday. Thank you for these, and the wonderful stories.
Excellent video Barry. I purchased a Lane cedar chest with my first paycheck in 1978. I had collected several items to place in it. Sadly, all the items have vanished but I still have my cedar chest. I recently inherited my husband's aunt's Lane cedar chest that is much nicer than mine but I love them both.
This episode was lovely. Thank you. I watched this with my husband and one of our daughters and a granddaughter. This meant a lot to us. My daughter has one of those little chests. It is nice to hear positive comments about mothers and their love for their husbands and children. That meant a lot to us. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments. We all enjoy watching your restorations.
I really enjoyed this comment
I never knew about the story of the mini chests but I know my mom has her cedar chest she received as a graduation gift. As a child, I have fond memories of her showing my sisters and I the many treasures that were neatly and safely stored in that chest. It’s been almost three years since I’ve traveled home. I think I’m going to ask my mom to once again show me what she still has stored in her hope chest. Thank you for the walk down memory lane!
My mom’s cedar hope chest with stellar copper trim was the first piece I refinished when I was around 12. It changed from grubby and sad to a gleaming showpiece. Grimy finish and accumulated filth off, nourishing oil and brasso on. It made my eyes happy, as do your projects. Thanks for this story.
I'm only in my 50s but my mother made sure I had a hope chest. I didn't marry until after college but the chest was important as it was built for either living independently or with a husband. I wish people still did this for their daughters. I think it encourages independence.
I received one of those little boxes back in 1977. Still sits on my dresser with mostly watches from family in it. Mom and Dad's watch, grandfather's pocket watch, grandma's watch. I also have my mother's cedar chest. I have three grown daughter's. I got them all cedar chests. I have two Lane chests that are sitting in my garage that was given to me. Pretty rough shape. I have two granddaughters. They are only 7 and 2 but I plan on refinishing and restoring them to give to them to hold their treasures. This video brings tears to my eyes.
@@shericreates My chest was big, for the foot of the bed. It had my trousseau, including blankets, dishes and other kitchen items. I stashed away handed down quilts and decor as well. It is something that a girl and her parents can build on throughout her youth.
Hi Barry. I loved this video! It had so much historical info which resonated with me. When I was a young woman, I wanted one of these cedar chests, however, in my home we couldn’t afford such luxuries. But I did end up as a homemaker and mother, and they were the most rewarding years of my life! Your restorations turned out so well. Part of my fam is from the Virginia and N Carolina area, and I did have fam members who worked in the furniture industry-not necessarily for the Lane Co. That part of our country is known for furniture building, which I’m sure you are aware of. Such a beautifully done video!! ~Cathy
As I live in the U.K I found this video fascinating,after watching you restore many pieces of Lane furniture. I enjoyed the back story about the hope chests and just how integral they were to young women’s lives and so well made they could be passed down through the generations. Natalie😊
My senior class had more than 200 girls. When it came time to pass out the coupon cards for the little chests, the limited number of cards were given to a very popular girl who distributed them to her friends. I was not among them, but luckily for me, someone dropped their card on the floor of a classroom and I found it. There was no way to return it to the original owner because there was no name. So I kept it and redeemed the card for a little chest. I was delighted because back in the Sixties teen magazines always carried advertisements promising the chests to graduates. Fast forward 12 years and I married a man with the same name as, though unconnected to, the furniture store where I received my little chest. The name is stamped inside. Because of that, I’ve always felt that the chest was meant to be mine, after all. Thanks for your report on the Lane Company. I enjoyed it.
Such a great story
Another great video! I never got a 'Hope Chest', but I found something to use. I was given an old foot locker from WW2 my dad had. By the time I came along, he was old enough to be my grandfather, so I'm a GenX kid raised by proud members of the Greatest Generation. It was the first piece of furniture I repainted and reused. When I moved away at 19, I couldn't bring it with me. It got used as a toybox for the grandkids and great grandkids after I left. That was about 35 years ago. I wonder if the family still has it somewhere. My mother never got a chance to meet my son, but my dad did.
I remember those boxes, we all got a postcard to take to the furniture store to get a free “hope chest.” It was a way to get young people in to buy furniture for their first homes, creating customers for life.
Barry, this was an incredible beautiful video from the factory visit, to your family hope chests, to the history/story of the manufacturer of this furniture, etc. Kind of an early mother's day presentation. It's sad to hear that the manufacturer closed its doors, and my prayers to the men, women, and families.
Unfortunately, I don't have a hope chest story. If there ever was a hope chest or a chest of any kind in the family, it would've been from my mother's mother. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 15, large items like furniture were put in storage, but the storage was lost. All I have from my grandmother is pictures, a coin collection, and best of all memories. As for my own mother, I only mainly have pictures, knick knacks, and memories too, as she ended up passing away when I was 22 with nothing to her name. My parents divorced when I was 9, and my father passed away in 2021 and nothing to his name. I am a survivor of a broken home/family, but I cherish what I can despite what was experienced in the past. Addiction/substance abuse combined with unhealthy mental health is a killer in a lot of families, and I'm thankful my childhood/adolescence wasn't any worse; I pray for those that it is. 🙏
Anyways, thank you for all you do. God bless you and your family. ❤
Hey MCM, I shared my Lane Cedar Chest story in your previous video - the one about how the chest saved my wedding dress from a house fire. But thanks for reminding me about how I acquired the chest in the first place. I was 16 and my mom had a cedar chest of her own. I loved the idea of collecting items for my "someday" home. So I got a job at a sandwich shop and saved my money to buy the Lane Cedar Chest. I added dishes, silverware, tablecloth & sheets, and other odds and ends that I eventually used in my first apartment. Blessings :)
Thank you for sharing this!!
What a great story! I never had a hope chest. I cannot imagine my parents buying me one in the early 70s. I was expected to go to college after high school, and get a job. Getting married was something for the “future”. Looking back, I can’t remember any of my friends having a hope chest, either. I think that by the 70s, the concept was obsolete, or at least on the way out. Oddly enough, when I did get married, I had nothing to set up a home….that’s when I became a regular at auctions. It would have been nice to have a hope chest full of linens, dishes, etc. I love the Acclaim hope chest! I’m the owner of one of the end tables from 1966, and enjoy it.
Well this was another great episode Barry. My family was too poor to own a Lane chest when they were farming. We did have my grandmother's wooden chest which my Mother had restored and was kept at the end of the master bed until her passing. I wish I knew who got the chest but it was gone by the time I flew home to see the rest of her worldly goods sold. I got my parents Red Wing Bob White pottery which is my prized possession. I always enjoy your take on the history of furniture.
Sometimes I watch your videos more than once. I shared that I sent one to one of my siblings after one of my favorites. Your attention to the emotional impact on your viewers is sublime. Here's hoping many more episodes appear.
I started filling my Hope chest when I was about 10. It didn’t feel like it was for when I was married, but rather for when I was living on my own with a career. I was thrilled to get Dansk plates or antiques or cookie cutters. I still have many of those things. Some are stored in antique trunks. It is my daughter, recently graduated and on her own, who bought a Lane chest. It holds her TV, and not supplies for her future, but since we bought it together, it holds memories for us both.
I've been waiting for this video to learn more about these little cedar boxes! Beautifully done, thank you so much! My sister and I received ours upon graduation in 1992 and 1995. My mom didn't have a Lane hope chest, but instead she used a small three drawer chest with a cream/ivory marble inlay top (her only piece of real wood furniture). Upon her death, it was the only piece of furniture I wanted from our childhood house as I had been itching to strip it of it's awful 70's speckled stain finish for many years. Timing was perfect as it coincided with the start of covid. I sanded it down to bare wood and loved the look so I left it that way and now it sits as an entry table near my front door.
It sometimes feels silly, but you're right that furniture can hold and invoke memories. My grandmother passed away recently, and my cousin shared one of her favorite memories that included a simple green stool that was always in grandma's dining room.
Love your videos, info you provide and of course al of your restoration projects. I am 53 and the only hope chest i ever saw was one my grandmother received when she got married sometime in the 30's. It was not a Lane chest, but it was a cedar chest built in the Philippines. I was born and raised in Hawaii and was not familiar with Lane until I moved to the continental states over 30 years ago. The life of a woman back in those days was to be domestic...get married, have children, take care of a home and her husband. I have a lot of respect for the women of those times. And while I do many of those same things today, to have the "choice" to have a career and be independent as well is something I am grateful for. Thank you Barry!
Oh my heart. Barry, thank you for such a perfectly timed video. I lost my Mom ten years ago today. My Dad had passed exactly one month to the day ahead of her. I’m convinced he went first so he would be there to greet her. I too have a Lane cedar hope chest that my husband bought me when we first were married 48 years ago. It’s still sitting in the hallway where l pass it everyday.
So sorry for your loss.
Aw and my heart now Chris. I feel your pain. It doesn't matter how long goes by, we never get over losing our mothers. On 6th May next it will be 17 years since I lost mine at the age of 67. Sending hugs from Ireland.
Emer thank you so much for your gentle, kind words. They truly touched my heart.
What a beautifully presented story. My mother is a watercolor painter and turned 100 in December. I have her paintings hung all through my house and I can remember the days when she and a friend took all of us kids to some outdoor painting site. They painted we played. She was from the time of mothers being home with the kids and that is a tough job at times!
Great story, Barry. I remember the chest my Mother kept in her bedroom on the dresser and she kept the earrings I gave her when I went on a field trip to Holland Michigan when I was in elementary school. May she rest in peace. Thanks Barry, I hadn't thought about those earrings in a long time, and it was a nice memory of her.
I still have the little chest I received when I graduated high school. I always wanted a real cedar chest, but we could not afford one. When I was in college, a neighbor of my parents wanted to sell an old cedar chest of theirs, so I bought it for $100. That was a TON of money for me then!! I still have it and it is the most beautiful piece I own. Even though it did not belong to our family, it still reminds me of my mom and dad who found it for me.
Barry, most beautiful video honoring our mothers and grandmother's. The restored little chest is gorgeous. My mom had a lane cedar chest like the one you restored on a previous video. You are magnificent. Keep the restoration videos coming. Thank you
What an awesome story. I come from New Zealand. We had what we called glory boxes I got mine when I turned 16 and entered nursing. Although from the 70's.. I still use it and yes as a memory box.
I also inherited 2 turned inlaid wooden lamp stands, a jewelry bowl and pedestal fruit bowl made by my grandfather still in excellent condition.
I also have a double tared half round hall table he made, that sadly needs restoration. You have given me the push to get it sorted Thank you Barry 😊
Hi Barry...My mother-in-law was married in 1941 and received a Lane cedar chest in the waterfall style. My mother graduated high school in 1948 and she had a small cedar chest...like the one you restored on your video. She and my father were married in 1949 and she was given a waterfall cedar chest from her mother for the occasion. When I was 17 I got a Lane "hope chest" for Christmas to keep all my special things for when I got engaged, married and had children. When I graduated in 1970 I was excited to get a small chest as well, but they were out of them when I went to get one. My sister inherited mom's cedar chest and my daughter has my mothers-in-law cedar chest. So much "hope" was stored in the 3 cedar chests. Thank you for bringing those memories back all together today. Have a lovely week!
I grew up as the only girl in a home full of brothers. Whenever I felt sad, my mother would take me to her bedroom and we would explore all the family treasures she secreted away in her hope chest. It was always magical and healing. I have that chest now, and shared similar special moments with my own daughters. With the recent birth of my first granddaughter, the chest will soon be passed to the next generation. Thank-you for sharing your wonderful story of hope chests.
Beautifully and sensitively told Barry, may people will definitely appreciate this story and the way it was conveyed. In Australia. we called these: "Glory Boxes" where a young woman would collect and store items for her future home and family; we used various chests but the Chinese carved camphor wood boxes were very popular for this purpose (and I have such an one myself).
I loved this video! My mom had 2 cedar chests...her dad worked at the LaJunta Railroad station and knew when "imperfect" furniture was coming into town, so was able to purchase a chest. I don't remember why she ended up with 2, but I was blessed with one of them and my niece got the other one --we both cherish the chests and the memories. Also I have most all of the contents she saved; photo albums, my dad's uniform ribbons, magazines, TV guides, etc.
As for the graduation box - the stores ran out of them in my city. There were 3 high schools with huge classes, so many girls, not enough boxes. But life went on.
Thank you for a wonderful story today. ❣
Wonderful video! I have a Lane cedar chest in the “Copenhagen” style from 1955. A while ago I found a Lane furniture ad in Better Homes & Gardens (Dec 1955) featuring the same model. It seems pretty rare as I’ve never seen another one online or at any sales. It’s really impressive how Lane made cedar chests in such a wide variety of styles.
I love the Copenhagen style. I showed a Copenhage side table in this vid
I love these sorts of videos from you. Very bittersweet, but the way you talked about your mother and grandmother makes me excited to start my journey as a wife this June.
Wow! Congrats!
Congratulations from Russia!
What a wonderful story. Deeply moving and showing the abandoned factory added more poingancy. I remember my younger sister getting one of those little chests and she had a large hope chest. She had always wanted to be a wife and mother and these boxes/chests were dear to her. I on the other hand did not feel a calling to marriage, but wanted to do something outside the home. The problem a lot of women had with the Lane idea was not the nurturing of future mothers, but the sadly, often implied assumption that it was the *only* way for women. I think many of us have grown past the rebellion against marriage, especially as today so many more avenues are open to women, avenues that we opened ourselves with the same grit and determination that our sisters had for their families..
When I was considering getting one, marriage wasn't even on my radar. I just loved the look of them and the extra preservation storage factor!!! 😄😁🤣
Great work! When you mentioned the part about your grandmother it reminded me of both of mine when they were alive. While I never got a hope chest, since I like playing music, one of my grandmother gifted me my Grandfather’s 73 Gibson Les Paul Custom, and the memories I have with that guitar while also always remembering where it came from has always meant the world to me… probably why I call that guitar my inanimate child. Thank you for all your videos, love keeping up with it.
Thank you for sharing this memory
Very nice piece, Barry! Thank you for showing the key to the Lane box, which enabled me to reunite the key with my box that I received in the late 70’s! 😊
Thank you Barry for all you do. This one was quite special and gave me goosebumps.
I absolutely love the grain on the little box. 😊
I've commented on previous videos you have done, but will say it again.. Barry, you truly have many talents, but storytelling has got to be (I my humble opinion) one of your very best atrobutes. Please keep doing exactly what you do. From a fellow Wiscosinite, you are a treasure.
I've shared my story before, but I love watching the work you do on furniture, especially Lane Cedar chests. My mother left me hers that my dad gave her when they were engaged in 1948 and it has such sentimental memories for me. ❤
I really enjoyed this video. That is tragic about the furniture company shutting down. My wife has a miniature box like the one in the video that you did such a beautiful job on. I think but I am not sure, but her big cedar chest is also a Lane. I don't think my mother ever had a cedar chest. If she did, she didn't have it when I was growing up, and she is not here anymore to ask. God, I miss my mom and dad. More every year it seems. Thanks for the video, and I am now off to watch the other one. Take good care of yourself my RUclips friend.
My mom had a beautiful Lane cedar chest when I was little, 1962.
Loved opening it up and taking a wiff.
Family heirlooms, blankets and her wedding dress.
Left behind in a divorce, such a loss, but warm memories😊
Hi Barry. Loved your journey to VA. You are brave to enter an abandoned factory. I would be afraid unless I had my husband along. I have seen these little boxes a lot, and now I know the story behind them. Thanks for the great video!
Barry, great tribute to generations of mothers, the Lane Company and its employees, and the soldiers in the pictures you have in your box. This is the way I like to learn history..who made it, and ths rest of the story. I received the very small chest upon high school graduation in 1977 near Chicago. It was just handed to us by the school. My mother had a cedar chest, I don't know the brand. She kept her clothes from a much earlier time and other textiles that were sentimental. When Mom died my sister wanted the chest and I wanted the quilt in it that my grandmother had commissioned for my mother. Soon she wanted to trade for the quilt but I wouldn't trade. The quilt was worn but cherished. Unfortunately without the cedar chest, mice made a nest of it and in it. Then I put it in the wash and unintentionally ruined it more. You are right that hope chests eventually become memory chests. And they keep the memories safe.
I always love the thought and care you put into your videos. This is such a cool opportunity and appreciate you sharing! I drive through Roanoke often and had no idea that’s where the Lane factory was.
I haven’t inherited much furniture from my family, but I’ve collected a fair amount of old furniture second hand. I have that drop leaf table you showed in this video, a Lane cedar chest, and a couple Hope chests that I’ve found at Goodwills. It’s such a treasure finding them and I’ve enjoyed learning more about the company through you.
I have mentioned this before but I have my Noni's waterfall style cedar chest filled still with her various crocheted items. She was highly skilled.
My own cedar chest from my graduation is filled with memorabilia from my children. Thank you for the walk through history
I love the story, the factory tour, the restoration & adore the story teller!
Thanks for another GREAT video... this type of content just "gets me"! 😢 🤗 Be well my friend!
❤ Love this video! I did not have a Lane chest, I was introduced to them in college when my college roommate had one where she was in fact saving things for her future home with her future spouse. I did, however get a baby chest for my husband when we got married in 1999 for him to store his wallet, watch and jewelery in. He still has it. We’ve been married 24 years have two kids. I hope to pass it on.
Oh Barry what a beautiful video!!
Here in Australia I started my “glory box” as a young teen. It wasn’t a Lane but it was cedar.
My passed away 3 yrs ago this week and this video reminded me of the wonderful memories I shared with my mum talking about objects I should be collecting for when I get married and the little things here and there that she gave me to help me prepare for my own home.
What wonderful memories you've brought back. Made this old lady cry!
I have a small cedar box that was handmade by my dad. He died at age 39 in 1972 of lung cancer. I keep a variety of small mementos in it… bits of faux flowers from my baby siblings graves, a tie tac from my dad, a scrap of paper on which he had written his name and address. There’s also a couple of news paper clippings. Memories are important. Thank you for sharing your story and experiences with us.
Oh my! Such a truly wonderful episode, made me so emotional and thankful that I have my mum and dad here, both in their. 70’s, my dad is the town crier and also Father Christmas at that most wonderful time of year, both jobs are for charities and he loves them, mum loves a good charity shop, buying her bargains and loves to have dinner parties, also gives her support to whatever my dad is doing. Nan had a huge metal chest that was passed to my mum, full of linens and things to use in their first home. It was mine when I lived at home, full of my precious memories. It is now in their garage and stores outdoor cushions. One day it will be mine again but I’m in no rush for that day to come! Really lovely to see the wood come alive. It is so sad when a business closes their doors, too many have gone! Thank you, love to all from the uk 🇬🇧 x
Beautiful story telling. Thank you Barry.
Great video! Lots of memories of my mother's hope chest. It was off limits to look into unless mom opened it herself. Then she would go through things and tell us stories about everything in it. What fun that was. Thanks, Barry.
Barry, thank you so much for this video. I graduated from high school in 1972 and I still have my own little cedar chest just like yours. I keep little odds and ends from my early adult years safely tucked inside. Maybe one day I will pass it on to my granddaughter who is currently only 4 years old. I am touched by your passion, God bless!
Thank you Barry. This was an emotional episode and I can’t thank you enough. I’m a mother/house wife that did have a skill/trade. I was a barber. Raised 2 boys. I was proud of the furniture that I was blessed to afford to buy. My sister was lucky enough to receive for her 1981 graduation gift a cedar Hope chest. She still has it today. In 1983 when I graduated my folks were divorced, and I lived with my father. We didn’t have much money. I got a boom box 😔🤷♀️ Thank you again for a beautiful video.
Great story telling! I love your collection of miniature hope chests! I’ve got two of my own that I’ve picked up at thrift stores and restored. I often wonder their history and how their owners once incorporated them into their lives.
I remember my Mothers cedar chest. It’s full of all the treasures of her life. I haven’t seen it opened since I was a child, but the thing I remember most, was a tiny porcelain doll no bigger than three inches. It had a beautifully painted face and the arms and legs moved and it had a lovely little pink crocheted dress. It was from her childhood. I don’t know if it’s still there or not. The chest is still in my parents home, but my beautiful Mother left the Earth a few years ago, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to open her cedar chest. Thank you for this one, from a Mother and a Daughter.❤️😔🐝
Thank you for acknowledging that the girl graduate marketing program had a side that wasn’t all rosy nostalgia and happy memories. I was born in 1958 and graduated in 1976, and got my mini Lane “hope chest” like everyone else. Even then, I knew I wasn’t interested in marriage and motherhood, but the pressure was pretty intense from all sides, including Lane’s marketing assumption that I needed to get married as soon as possible. I remember being angry that a company like that would get in my personal business by pushing such a product on me at the age of 17. Your piece was fascinating, and I enjoyed learning more about Lane furniture. I just wanted to thank you for mentioning that there are those who objected to the girl grad scheme.
I graduated HS in a small town on the Hudson River. The year was 1970 and I still have my miniature hope chest. Like you I keep small keepsakes in it. I love your videos
I spent over 40 years doing archaeology and architectural history work throughout the Eastern US. Accordingly, I spent a lot of time in abandoned places going back as long ago as 10,000 years ago. There is always some remnant of the energy of those who had gone before in these places. Sometimes that sense is very strong, and sometimes is is very subtle, but it's always there when I take the time to open myself to it, so I'm not at all surprised that you seem to have had a special experience when visiting the Lane site.
I graduated in 1965 class of fall 1964 and we received our little land cedar chest also thru the program. I still have it but need to get a new lock. So happy to see this video. ❤❤❤
My Mom had one of these small chests. I believe she received it as a gift in the 1950s. I've had it since the 1980s. After seeing your video, it has so much more meaning to me now.
Aw, what a beautiful video! Moms are really the best. I miss mine terribly.
My little chest is also used to keep old photos and small things that spark sweet memories. I got my chest as a graduation gift from the very nice lady who owned the house we rented in the US. She knew we would be returning to Brazil soon, and wanted me to have a memory of her family with me. I still do.
Dear Ms. Woodward. I do not know where she is, or if she is still living, but my memory of her, her husband and the very nice house we lived in are as fresh as in the 1970s.
My mother had 3 of those boxes. Born 1922 past 2013. Those boxes are very special to my sister and I. Thank you for sharing the story of Lane Furniture Factory.
That is awesome!
I inherited my cedar chest from my aunt upon her passing. In her estate she had specifically underlined “all” when mentioning its contents. Only when we had a look thru her treasures, (it was packed full as it was her hope chest but she succumbed to cancer at a very early age) did we find her engagement ring. That was the first that anyone in the family became aware that she had been engaged long before her death. I returned the ring to “uncle Edwin” as we all had been calling him, not knowing that had she survived he would have become our uncle in a legal sense. Now some 55 yrs later it sits at the foot of my bed still holding many of her treasures.
I was born in 1960 in Australia and didn’t have a beautiful Lane hope chest, but rather a large wooden box my father bought home from work when I was a young child. When I was engaged I cleaned it out and stored all the items I bought to set up what would be our first home. I remember my husbands grandparents winning small items in raffles and at bingo games and giving them to us and also my grandmother giving me small amounts of money to purchase items.neither of our grandparents were well off which makes these items even more special. I still have a few of them after 43 years and treasure them as reminders of their love.
I know you don't consider yourself a teacher but you taught me. Somewhere, far, far away, in a rusty garden shed, at the other end of the world, is a drawer containing a small stash of wood veneers....they got there directly because of you...thank you for sharing and encouraging us all to have a go!
I have no furniture from my parents who left everything behind after WWII and emigrated to Canada. They both worked minimum wage jobs until retirement and did not buy quality furniture. My brother has my dad’s pendulum wooden wall clock that was given after 40 years working at a lumber mill but that’s about it. My parents are now both gone and I never knew their families. I hope those of you who have these heirlooms appreciate how lucky you are to have family furniture that was passed down the generations. I love watching you work, Barry, and the love and care you give these pieces. Thank you.
So interesting. I, as well as my female classmates, received the small (free) Lane chest at the end of high school, 1966. In small town Ontario Canada! Many years later, and sadly, I came to possess my own Mother's Lane keepsake chest after her far too early death at 65. She had graduated high school in 1936! It’s contents are priceless to me. So, this programme reached many hundreds of thousands of us high school graduates even in the crazy 60s, and even in Canada! With no marital ambitions until my early 30s I went on to university and a career before marrying and having a family. My mother too became a Registered Nurse before her marriage and having a family of six. Even so, the little cedar chests were always part of our households. Bittersweet but also heartwarming to watch this video. Thanks. ❤
I remember when and where I picked up my Lane Memory Box... I still have it, love it and use it. Thank you for this wonderful walk down "Memory Lane"
Beautiful video Barry. Truly, the most significant memories are tied to little treasures that fit in these boxes. Got me choked up a bit, lost Mom just over 3 years ago. She would have loved your content, so heartfelt and genuine.
Love this one 😍. My Father made a hope chest out of 1 1/2 in.flooring seconds for my Mother. They got married in 1955. I now have it. I love it .
Enjoyed your story. To bad you didn't see this massive plant in function. It was just about every family work spot. My whole family worked there. Mom 33 years me , Dad brothers sisters all. We called bologna Lane steak. Great bonuses when we received them. Turkey , hams , sheets , towels as our Christmas gift. I have so many cedar chest, big & small. Thank you all for bringing your video to life.
I love your videos, Barry. I was a stay at home mom/homemaker for many years and I also loved it. 😍 I work now, but I treasure those early years of married life raising my children and keeping house. Thank you for uplifting the role of homemaker. ❤
In 1967 when I graduated high school, we were given miniature Lane hope chests as a memento. I loved it and kept my "valuables" in there. Several years later, after I was married and moved away, our apartment was burglarized and my little chest was gone. Seeing one in this video has wrung out a few tears for the old memories that surfaced. I hope it's still in someone else's house, maybe another young lady who keeps her stuff in it, and not in a landfill.
Oh wow, I love your videos, your stories. This was one of them. Nice trip, sad pictures of the factory, moving story, nice little chest renovation. There is nothing like these lane hope cedar chests in my country. I wish there was something with such a great tradition, something what would be passed down from generation to generation. I would be so proud to have inherited such a great piece of furniture. Love from Pilsen, Czech republic, Europe
I didn't have a mother growing up. My granny ( my dad's mother ) was my biggest influence born in 1908 she rode an orphan train to western KY to work on a tobacco farm till she was old enough to marry. She had 10 children and a small hope chest. I don't know what happen to it bc I was young when she died. I've always wanted one to remind me of what a incredible strong woman and mother she was. Thank you Barry ❤
Thank you Barry for your sweet and respectful commentary. This video took me by surprise with its emotional impact. I appreciate you. ❤
I have a miniature chest/box. But my actual hope chest was built by my high school/college boyfriend in 1982. My friends thought I was nuts wanting a hope chest as a teen feminist. But I loved my grandmother's chest. In high school I bought some nice kitchen items and antique tablecloths and stored on my chest. Both my grandmothers knitted each of 4 granddaughters a baby sweater set. I kept mine for years - had my baby at 42. My hope chest is in my closet. I kept it when we broke up and still cherish I.
Thank you Barry for those beautiful memories you shared. Touched my heart. Being a mom myself is one of the greatest moments in my life. I miss my mom who passed away 5 years ago. I too have a cedar chest, it will be passed down to my daughter. I love your videos. Thanks for all you do.
My grandmother gave me a cedar hope chest when I was a little girl. And as I grew up, we collected the things I might need, including the cutlery I use today, that she and I picked out together and purchased with Betty Crocker box top coupons. It now holds the many quilt tops she made, but never quilted. I miss her. Thank you for telling such a beautiful and thoughtful story.
Thank you so much for bringing the important things in life to the forefront. People really need to step back and remember the awesome people in our past. I look forward every night to watching your channel.