What is a Cedar Chest?

Cedar chests and hope chests are often referred to one another interchangeably. For years, the hope chest, filled with a young woman’s dowry, symbolized her hopes and dreams of love. Because of cedar oil’s remarkable natural ability to repel moths and other insects, the cedar-lined chest became a naturally safe place to store fine wool, blankets, and other fabrics. Often, they stored the most prized possessions of a family.

But not only does cedar function as a bug repellent. The simple chest carries inside a treasure trove of American history. As one of the few pieces of furniture that traveled with 19th-century immigrants, today, the cedar chest has become a link between the Old World and the New. In much the same way, its function has changed from old to new functions.

History and Significance

Consider this:  the cedar chest’s first recorded mention came almost 3700 years ago. The historical use in ancient Mesopotamia is not as important as the durability and versatility of this specific style of furniture. Cedar chests have become significant symbols in many cultures—because of their usefulness and concept.

Today’s cedar chests have evolved from the 19^th and 20th-century hope chests. Particularly in German, Italian, and Scandinavian countries, a girl spent much of her girlhood and young adult life plying her needle to make doilies, monogrammed handkerchiefs, crocheted bedspreads, and embroidered pillowslips. In some cases, her mother and other female family members helped, making memories together. In other cases, they bought the items from artisans. On top of fabrics, these chests held porcelain, silverware, and jewelry.

Many young women made their way west to the rapidly growing United States in the 1800s. Many hope chests doubled as steamer trunks. Today, a hope chest often functions as the only physical link Americans have to an Old World past. Some of these hope chests inhabit places of honor in living areas or museum displays. Others preserve memories in attics, collecting dust. These chests survive because they are carried inside a family’s heritage. They preserved the past by ensuring that new families would be well cared for.

An Amish Tradition

The Pennsylvania Dutch culture still alive in the Amish has preserved this tradition. The Lane Furniture Company stirred up a brief frenzy over hope chests in the 1950s, but the Amish still craft these pieces of family history. The Amish have survived because of their investment in family culture. It makes sense that they still build, utilize, and share the cedar chest today.

Common Uses Today

Today, a cedar chest can be a long-term home for anything that’s filling up your house. These pieces of piano-hinged furniture make blankets easily accessed, whether they’re living room throws or heirloom quilts. People can store school and business awards, off-season clothes, tablecloths, old books, jewelry boxes, and more in these cedar chests. Even though the original purpose of the hope chest is outdated, families can still store their legacy in these beautiful chests.

But what makes the modern cedar chest especially valuable is its resistance to decay. A cedar chest will not decay, meaning that if cared for properly, it makes a safe home for wool, wedding dresses, photographs, and valuable dishes. If storing wool, the cedar chest needs to be sanded or have oils applied each year to refresh the cedar scent. The fresh scent of cedar masks the keratin in the wool, keeping moths from finding it.

A chest can store more than old and precious things. A narrow chest in your breezeway becomes an easy spot to sit down and put shoes on. It can store umbrellas, backpacks, reusable bags, and more. In the kitchen corner, in the living room, in a spacious hallway, a cedar chest can offer an easy resting spot, additional seating, and a storage space.

Take Home a Piece of American History

The cedar chest has been around for so long because of its versatility and function. Whether you store heirlooms or paraphernalia, the solid wood of the cedar chest will stick around. Why should you consider a cedar chest for your home? Simply this, a cedar chest is a wonderful way to preserve family history and start new traditions.