Laundry stoves at the Municipal Auto Camp at N Albina Avenue and Portland Boulevard, 1925. For another image of the camp, click here.
City of Portland (OR) Archives, A2001-045.841.
Municipal Auto Camp, 1925
Vintage Portland
Laundry stoves at the Municipal Auto Camp at N Albina Avenue and Portland Boulevard, 1925. For another image of the camp, click here.
City of Portland (OR) Archives, A2001-045.841.
Vintage Portland 
Hi, Were the people staying in these municipal camps from elsewhere and they were traveling? They surely didn’t live here year round…it wasn’t post-stock market crash, after all. Thanks for the pix. Barbara
HI Barbara,
User Coddingtonbear posted a good article on this camp a few weeks ago when another photo was posted. I think it will answer most of your questions. It’s a good read:
https://piedmontneighborhood.com/2017/09/29/the-municipal-automobile-camp-1921-1926/
Note the title is ‘laundry stoves’ not laundromat. and those are wood fueled and air dry.
I’ve got a set of keys to site no. 28 from the west side auto camp.
How exactly does a “laundry Stove” work? Do you cook your laundry?
A laundry stove is much like a regular potbelly woodstove, excepting its top and removable plates is considerably larger Its optimised for heating large cauldrons or washtubs. Also, when its plates are put back in, its oversize top can help drying clothes by laying them flat on the cast iron top and flipping them over frequently.
Obviously, one would have to be careful doing that after stove fire was out but still quite warm or carefully managing a very low fire.
Dave J: “I’ve got a set of keys to site no. 28 from the west side auto camp.”
That’s great Dave! The city has been looking for those. You’ve surely lost your security deposit and with interest, you probably owe the city in the neighborhood of $23,367.
Portland’s Office of Management and Finance will be in contact. 😀