Having grown up in Des Moines, I remember the closing of Maytag in Newton, Iowa when I was younger. However, I still didn't have a clear picture of the history and impact of the Maytag company. This project has been interesting to me, especially in learning about the impact of the washing machine on women's liberation. Unlike some of the other projects, there isn't an actual museum that exists dedicated to the Maytag company, through this project I hope that it could be closer to being realized. Through my research, I learned that there is a huge collector's community for vintage appliances, and some specifically for Maytag. This gives me hope that this museum might be really be important to people that could potentially be donors to the museum. Additionally, I think that a museum might help change the narrative of the history of Maytag at Newton to one that's more positive and helpful for the community.
Growing up in Newton after Maytag's exit in 2007, it often felt like the town had experienced a collective death in the family, and – as often happens with grief – it was understood that discussion of the loss we had suffered should be kept to a minimum. Almost certainly, whenever the subject of Maytag was brought up, it was accompanied by chagrined head-shaking and a nostalgic longing for the good days that had passed. But that isn't what's going to help Newton grow and move forward. By creating this website, we have attempted to illustrate the huge role the Maytag Company played, not just in the development of the town of Newton, but in the development of the washing machine as we know it today, as well as other appliances such as as dishwashers and dryers. The company created a culture of industry and innovation in Newton, one that continues today with the manufacturing of blades for wind turbines, and it is that spirit that we are proposing merits further commemoration in the Jasper County Museum or a town historical exhibit.