Rope Bed

We are not sure who slept here, but we do know this bed came from Frank Dunn from Kinsman. He says he was raised by the Welshes and the bed came from them. Arthur Welsh died in 1879 at the age of 54. So, he was born in 1825. He would have been 20 years old in 1845, so this bed was probably made in the early 1840s.

Rope beds were used until the late 1800s when the first coil spring mattress was made. Here you can see the ropes that are woven across the bedframe to support a mattress. These ropes had to be tightened frequently to give firm support and better night’s sleep. Hence the expression “Night, night, sleep tight …”

The ceramic container holds hot water to warm the bed.