Copper Cauldron, ca. 1750-1850

Copper was a favored material for cauldrons, or kettles, in eighteenth-century Illinois. Copper pots were quicker to heat and lighter in weight than iron pots. They could be transported at less expense and could be mended if the soft metal was broken. They were used for soups, boiling meat, heating water, and boiling laundry. Several cauldrons are listed in the estate inventory of Marie Catherine Baron in 1748.

Gift of Baird Boyer, Arcola, IL (1992.40)

© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96