Did You Know Old Faithful Was Once a Laundromat?



Most people know Old Faithful as a cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, but it might surprise you to learn that it was once a laundromat of sorts. The geyser sprouted at regular intervals, with columns of boiling water being thrown from 90 to 125 feet at each discharge, which lasted from 15-20 minutes. As far back as 1871, garments placed in the crater during an eruption were ejected thoroughly washed, with linen and cotton fabrics uninjured by the action of the water. Woolen clothes, however, were torn to shreds. Today, of course, doing your laundry in Old Faithful would not be permitted.