POD 9/18/2017

[brucelucenta]

I do remember seeing at least the coin operated versions of these machines in the early 70's. A laundromat that was close to a pick up store my father had for the dry cleaners had replaced on the old Maytag machines with these. I do remember that the laundromat soon went out of business. I have no idea if the demise of the laundromat had anything to do with the new machines. They reminded me a little of a Westinghouse machine because of the spiral agitator and the little rubber tabs at the top of the machines. I know that the Hoover washer was basically the same machine and was more popular in this part of the country. But there were really very few of those here too. Kenmore/Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Maytag and various others were more abundant here and I don't think I ever saw a Blackstone washer and dryer here at all other than the coin operated ones. I know that Blackstone wasn't around very long after that.

 

[DADoES]

 
I believe these were the last Blackstone models offered, circa 1974.  The local propane dealer handled Blackstone laundry at that time.  They had a display at the county fair which is where I saw the machines.  I insisted that dad take me by the dealer location on the outskirts of town so I could get a better look.  They were very different from the Whirlpools and Kenmores I knew.  I fetched a copy of this brochure but it's now long gone.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Exactly where was the Blackstone stronghold in this country? I saw coin-ops in Miami in 1957, but that does not mean a retail presence. Member Blackstone's family had a dealership in Western MA, but there had to be other places. CU tested them.

 

[brucelucenta]

The very first time I heard the name "Blackstone" was from a guy who had a Speed Queen laundromat that had Blackstone machines previous to the Speed Queen machines back in about 1970. He had a bunch of them for sale, but I never got around to seeing them. I never heard of anyone who had a Blackstone, nor did I ever run into one in my junkyard adventures of the 70's. I kind of thought they were a brand that might have been more popular on the east coast and northern states, but not really sure. Blackstone was probably the only machine that I never worked on or saw, other than the ones I mentioned.

 

[maytagbear]

Blackstone machines

were built in Jamestown, New York.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[toploadloyalist]

Wish we could get a close-up of their consoles.

 

[gyrafoam]

A lot of my relatives in New York had them. The last of them reminded me very much of Westinghouse.
Terrible for suds-lock. I do recall some laundries as far flung as Florida with these machines.

 

[golittlesport]

I had two relatives in Buffalo NY who had Blackstone washing machines back in the day when I was a kid. One was a wringer washer with the "Hydractor" agitator and the other was an early automatic with the red dials on the front of the cabinet and a stainless steel tub.

I also saw a laundromat in California with Blackstone machines back in the late 70's. The agitators and tubs in the later models did resemble Westinghouse machines.

They certainly were rare machines.