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Capital: Montgomery

Curious Fact:

The first 911 call was made in Alabama.

in 1968, a call was made in Haleyville, Alabama and it kicked things off. The first call was a more symbolic gesture between two politicians, but 911 quickly became the national standard for who to contact in case of an emergency.

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Capital: Juneau

Curious Fact:

The state sport is dog mushing.

This was once the primary mode of transportation in most of Alaska. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is the state’s largest sporting event.

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Capital: Phoenix

Curious Fact:

Arizona’s last volcanic eruption occurred between D. 1080 and 1150, creating Sunset Crater near Flagstaff.

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Capital: Little Rock

Curious Fact:

The Crater of Diamonds mine is the only active diamond mine in the US.

It is the only one in the world that is open to the public. The three largest diamonds ever found in the US were uncovered in the area.

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Capital: Sacramento

Curious Fact:

"Eureka" Is the state motto.

Eureka — the Greek word for “I have found it!” — In honor of the California Gold Rush, the state later adopted “Eureka” as its official motto.

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Capital: Denver

Curious Fact:

Colorado is the only state in history to turn down the Olympics.

In 1976 the Winter Olympics were planned to be held in Denver. Voters chose not to host the Olympics because of the cost, pollution and population boom it would have on the state of Colorado, and the city of Denver.

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Capital: Hartford

Curious Fact:

The first submarine used in battle was built in Old Saybrook.

The Turtle was built by David Bushnell in 1775 as a way to attach explosive charges to ships in a harbor for use against the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

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Capital: Dover

Curious Fact:

A nickname for Delaware is the “Home of Tax-Free Shopping”.

it is mainly known by its neighboring states, whose citizens regularly take advantage of Delaware’s haven-like regulations.

Delaware gained this nickname as it’s just one of five US states that do not implement sales tax.

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Capital: Tallahassee

Curious Fact:

Orange Juice is the official state beverage of Florida.

The state is known nationally (and even in neighboring countries) for its oranges and orange juice.

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Capital: Boise

Curious Fact:

Idaho’s state flag was the only state seal designed by a woman.

Idaho’s state flag and great state seal were designed by Mrs. Emma Edwards Green in 1890.

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Capital: Atlanta

Curious Fact:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture ranks Georgia as one of the top four peach-producing states.

The peach first made its way to the US in the 1500s from China’s Silk Road via Europe. It is recorded that “Franciscan monks introduced peaches to St. Simons and Cumberland islands along Georgia’s coast in 1571.”

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Capital: Honolulu

Curious Fact:

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee.

Hawaii’s climate and geography has allowed species that can’t be found on the continent to thrive in the islands. It’s one of the reasons why Hawaii has such a long history of plantation work, growing sugarcane, pineapple, macadamia nuts, banana, sandalwood, and coffee. The volcanic soil, tropical climate, and consistent year-round weather of the Hawaiian Islands make them ideal for growing crops of all kinds.

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Capital: Springfield

Curious Fact:

The first McDonald's was built in Des Plaines, IL.

The McDonald's #1 Store Museum was housed in a replica of the former McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, US, opened by Ray Kroc in April 1955. The company usually refers to this as The Original McDonald's, although it was actually the ninth McDonald's restaurant.

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Capital: Indianapolis

Curious Fact:

Baseball was practically born in Indiana.

Fort Wayne, to be exact. The very first professional game had occurred in the town on May 4, 1871.

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Capital: Des Moines

Curious Fact: The first female lawyer was from Iowa.

Arabella Mansfield of Burlington became the first female lawyer in the United States in 1869. She is shown in the bottom center of the picture above. She was also a college educator and administrator.

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Capital: Topeka

Curious Fact: Alcohol was prohibited in Kansas for 67 years.

Kansas was at the forefront of the prohibition movement and was the first of the US states to prohibit the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol on February 19, 1881.

The Prohibition in Kansas was a result of the Temperance Movement, a social movement that promoted the idea that the consumption of alcohol was inherently bad for society as a whole.

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Capital: Frankfort

Curious Fact:

Kentucky has the highest population of elk in the eastern part of the United States by far.

With more than 11,000 elk currently roaming the state, the number is expected to continually increase after only being reintroduced to the state in the 1990s.

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Capital: Baton Rouge

Curious Fact: Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the United States. It is 450 feet tall and has 34 stories.

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Capital: Augusta

Fun Fact: Portland was the first capital of Maine.

The selection of Portland as the capital was a temporary decision since it was the largest city in Maine. It was thought that the capital should be in a more central location, so Augusta was chosen in 1827. A capitol building needed to be constructed, and the official move happened in January 1832.

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Capital: Annapolis

Curious fact: The first umbrella factory in the United States was established in Baltimore, Maryland in 1828.

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Capital: Boston

Curious Facts: In the late 1600s about 20 people died because they were accused of witchcraft in a series of hearings called the Salem witch trials.

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Capital: Lansing

Curious Facts: The world’s largest weathervane is located in Montague. It stands forty-eight-feet tall and weighs thirty-five hundred pounds. Its wind arrow is twenty-six-feet long.

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Capital: Saint Paul

Curious facts: Post-It Notes were born here.

Art Fry, a scientist at Minnesota's own 3M Corporation, invented the product when the developer of a tacky, reusable adhesive, 3M scientist Dr. Spencer Silver, could not come up with an application for his invention.

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Capital: Jackson

Curious facts: Mississippi has not one, not two, but three official state mammals. They are the white-tailed deer, the red fox, and the bottlenose dolphin.

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Capital: Columbus

Birthplace of Aviation: Ohio is known as the "Birthplace of Aviation" because the Wright brothers, who invented the first successful airplane, were from Dayton, Ohio.

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Capital: Oklahoma City

Tornado Alley: Oklahoma is located in Tornado Alley and experiences more tornadoes per square mile than any other state.

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Capital: Salem

Crater Lake: Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest lake in the United States, formed in the caldera of an ancient volcano.

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Capital: Harrisburg

Liberty Bell: The Liberty Bell, an iconic symbol of American independence, is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Capital: Providence

Smallest State: Rhode Island is the smallest state in the U.S. by land area, but it has one of the longest coastlines relative to its size.

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Capital: Columbia

First to Secede: South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in 1860, leading to the start of the Civil War.

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Capital: Pierre

Mount Rushmore: South Dakota is home to Mount Rushmore, featuring the carved faces of four U.S. presidents.

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Capital: Nashville

Country Music Capital: Nashville, Tennessee, is known as the "Country Music Capital of the World" and is home to the Grand Ole Opry.

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Capital: Austin

Largest State: Texas is the largest state in the contiguous U.S. and is known for its unique culture, barbecue, and cowboy heritage.

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Capital: Salt Lake City

Mormon Population: Utah has the highest percentage of Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) of any state, making up about 60% of the population.

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Capital: Montpelier

Maple Syrup:Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States, contributing nearly half of the country’s supply.

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Capital: Richmond

Historic Williamsburg: Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia is the world’s largest living history museum, depicting life in the 18th century.

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Capital:

Mount Rainier: Mount Rainier, located near Seattle, is an active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.

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Capital: Trenton.

Curious facts:

New Jersey has a spoon museum containing over 5,400 spoons. It can be found at Lambert Castle.

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Bertha Schaefer Koempel (1882-1966) was an avid souvenir spoon collector who lived in Paterson, New Jersey, when she was a young girl. And when she donated, upon her passing, the entire collection to the Passaic County Historical Society (PCHS), they instantly became the home of the world's largest collection of spoons -over 5,400!

Mrs. Koempel commemorated trips and special events by collecting spoons. Friends and family even contributed to her collection by sending spoons back home from all over the world. She lived a lifetime of travel through her hobby. Each unique and beautifully crafted spoon is a window on the world and every state, as well as most countries, are represented. And her wish was for them to be on display in her hometown for everyone to enjoy as much as she did.

In 2010, the PCHS approved the fundraising necessary to reinstall the collection in its own room. The re-installation was spearheaded by E. A. Smyk, Chair of the Society's Collections Management Committee and a Passaic County Historian who was present at the original dedication of the collection in 1968 and said, "The beauty of the spoons, as well as the tenacity Mrs. Koempel possessed in order to build the collection, left a lasting impression on me."

The Bertha Schaefer Koempel Spoon Collection exhibits 250 spoons at one time, rotating often. The spoons on display are divided into categories which have spanned such subjects as: nautical, religious, Scandinavian, enameled figures, novelties, Middle Eastern/North African, and spoons made from natural/organic/animal materials. A spoon from Holland even has a windmill with blades that turn and spoons from the Middle East contain lockets that open to reveal mummies in miniature.

The Collection is housed in the Passaic County Historical Society's building, Lambert Castle, in Paterson, New Jersey, a landmark and worth a trip itself. Originally called Belle Vista and built in 1892, it was the luxurious residence of Catholina Lambert, an Englishman and silk industry magnate. The mansion hosted many luminaries of the era, even President McKinley, and was added to the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1976.

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Lambert Castle In Paterson Is Home To The World's Largest Spoon Collection | Jersey Digs

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Lambert Castle in Paterson is home to the world's largest spoon collection. Visitors can view over 5,400 spoons from nearly every continent.

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Capital: Charleston

Coal Mining: West Virginia is historically known for its coal mining industry and has the nickname "The Mountain State" due to its rugged terrain.

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Capital: Madison

Cheese Production: Wisconsin is known as "America’s Dairyland" and is the leading producer of cheese in the United States.

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Capital: Cheyenne

Yellowstone: Yellowstone National Park, located primarily in Wyoming, was the first national park in the world and is famous for its geothermal features and wildlife.

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Capital: Concord.

Curious facts: The first crop of potatoes in North America was grown in New Hampshire.

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Capital: Jefferson City

Curious Facts: The world’s first drive-thru restaurant is right here in Missouri.

Red’s Giant Hamburg dates back to 1947, and it earns credit as being the first fast food restaurant to have a drive-thru window. Missourians still flock to Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield for a delicious burger and a side of nostalgia.

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - We don't think much of it now as we see them all over the place but where and how exactly did the drive-thru restaurant industry begin in the United States?

Well it all started thanks to a man named Sheldon "Red" Chaney in Springfield, Missouri.

Following World War II, "Red" purchased a small Sinclair gas station with motor court cabins in the back of the property along Route 66. A café was added in 1947.

Since "Red" and his wife owned a small herd of beef cattle, they decided to open up a restaurant, concentrating on hamburgers, for hungry travelers along the route.

It was considered the first restaurant with a drive-up window and served hungry travelers from 1947 to 1984.

The name of the restaurant was meant to be "Red's Giant Hamburger" but the "er" had to be cut off when "Red" realized the sign was too tall to clear overhead power lines, so it became known as "Red's Giant Hamburg."

A year after "Red's" restaurant opened, In-N Out Burger opened a drive-thru that used a state-of-the-art (at the time) two-way speaker box.

Then, in 1951, Jack in the Box opened in San Diego as a drive-thru only restaurant, coinciding with the growing popularity of car culture in America.

"Red" passed away in 1997 and his wife Julia passed in the early 2000s. Though the original spot of their restaurant sits empty today, a new "Red's Giant Hamburg" opened in 2019 in Springfield, helping "Red's" legacy live on.

A replica of Red's "Giant Hamburg" sign can be seen at a roadside attraction park along Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri.

Before drive-thrus, cars were rarely designed or manufactured with cup holders. By the 1980s, the feature was considered a must-have in every car.

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Did you know America's first drive-thru restaurant opened in Missouri?

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We don't think much of it now as we see them all over the place but where and how exactly did the drive-thru restaurant industry begin in the United States?

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Capital: Helena.

Curious facts: Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.

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TRAVEL ALERT: Stay informed about the latest travel updates in Montana, including the reopening of some entrances to Yellowstone National Park.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

It's called the Crown of the Continent for a reason

Within Glacier

Explore things to see and do in Glacier National Park. Established as a National Park in 1910 it is a land of mountain ranges carved by prehistoric ice rivers. It features alpine meadows, deep forests, waterfalls, about 25 glistening glaciers and 200 sparkling lakes. The vistas seen from Going-To-The-Sun Road are breathtaking, a photographer's paradise. Relatively few miles of road exist in the park's 1,600 square miles of picturesque landscape, thus preserving its primitive and unspoiled beauty.

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TRAVEL ALERT: Stay informed about the latest travel updates in Montana, including the reopening of some entrances to Yellowstone National Park. It's called the Crown of the Continent for a reason Within Glacier Explore things to see and do in Glacier National Park.

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Capital: Lincoln

Curious facts: Largest mammoth fossil.

The Elephant Hall at the University of Nebraska State Museum features the largest mammoth fossil on display anywhere in the world. The fossils were discovered in Lincoln County in 1922 and have been identified as the remains of a Columbian mammoth. Bonus fun fact: It is also Nebraska’s official state fossil.

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Capital: Carson city.

Curious facts: Area 51, a top secret area of Nellis Air Force Range and Nuclear Test Site is rumored to have housed the development of the first Stealth bomber and alien UFO research facilities.

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Capital: Santa fe.

Curious facts:

New Mexico hosts the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta each year, held in October. It’s a real sight to see, and if you haven’t ever seen hundreds of hot air balloons in the sky, there is nothing like it.

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Capital: Albany

Curious facts: The New York Public Library has over 50 million books and other items and is the second largest library system in the nation after the Library of Congress. It is also the 3rd largest library in the world.

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Capital: Raleigh.

Curious facts: The first Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was opened in NC in 1937
Winston Salem, NC.

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A small plaque set flush with the ground marks the spot where Krispy Kreme forst opened for business on July 13, 1937.

Address:

534 S. Main St., Winston-Salem, NC

Directions:

Small plaque, flush with the ground, easy to miss. In an empty corner lot in the Old Salem district, on the west side of S. Main St. just north of its intersection with W. Academy St.
Visitor Tips and News About First Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Location
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

First Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Location

According to a small plaque set flush with the ground, Krispy Kreme was founded at this spot by Vernon Rudolph on July 13, 1937.

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Winston-Salem, NC - First Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Location

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Visit reports, news, maps, directions and info on First Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Location in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

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Capital: Bismarck.

Curious facts: The Clothes Dryer Was Invented in North Dakota, In the early 20th century, a man named J. Ross Moore was becoming tired of hanging his clothes outside to dry. Drying clothes outside was exceptionally inconvenient during the cold winter months. For over three decades, Moore worked on inventing a clothes dryer. After he came up with a drum-type model, Hamilton Manufacturing in Wisconsin agreed to mass-produce his invention. They sold the first dryers in 1938.

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River City Appliance Repair | Sacramento Appliance Repair Services

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Innovation Combined with Convenience

The modern clothes dryer, a cornerstone of household convenience, has a rich history that mirrors the ongoing development of domestic life. From the days when everyone had their laundry hanging on a clothesline to today's sophisticated models, the journey of the clothes dryer is a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of efficiency. River City Appliance invites you to explore this fascinating history and discover how we can help keep your appliances running smoothly.

Humble Dryer Beginnings

The concept of quickening the pace of drying clothes goes all the way back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It started in England and France, with contraptions called "ventilators." These large metal drums, replete with ventilation holes and operated by hand cranks, were a primitive solution to drying clothes over open fires. However, they were far from perfect, often leaving clothes smelling of smoke or even catching fire. But the narrative of the clothes dryer took a significant turn with American inventor George T. Sampson of Dayton, Ohio. In 1892, Sampson patented a more advanced ventilator that utilized heat from a stove rather than an open fire, reducing the risk of soot-covered or scorched garments.

The Birth of the Electric and Gas Dryers

The early 20th century saw further advancements with J. Ross Moore's development of the electric dryer. Moore, frustrated by the effect that typical North Dakota winters had on his laundry, designed the first electric dryer. It was a drum-type model that Hamilton Manufacturing began selling in 1938 under the name "June Day." By the 1950s, clothes dryers started to gain popularity, especially after World War II. Whirlpool's introduction of a gas dryer in 1955, which claimed to halve drying times, marked a significant leap forward in dryer technology. This period saw innovations such as front-mounted controls, timers, exhaust systems for moist air, temperature controls, and the introduction of a cool-down cycle.

Technological Advances in Clothes Drying

The latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century saw remarkable improvements in dryer technology. The introduction of dryness sensors, permanent-press cycles, electric starters on gas dryers, microelectronic controls, and delayed start timers revolutionized how we dry clothes. Today's models are even more energy-efficient, with features catering to diverse languages, large type for visibility, and oversized controls for ease of use.

Your Partner in Home Appliance Care

As we reflect on the history of the clothes dryer, it's clear that this appliance has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Further improvements continue to develop, offering unparalleled convenience and time savings. At River City Appliance, we understand the importance of keeping such essential appliances in optimal condition. Whether you're experiencing issues with your dryer, washer, refrigerator, stove, or any other household appliance, our team of skilled technicians is here to provide the expertise and support you need.

With a commitment to quality service and customer satisfaction, River City Appliance is your go-to source for appliance repair and maintenance. Let us help you keep your appliances running efficiently, ensuring that the legacy of innovation within your home continues for years to come. Whether you need help with your clothes dryer, washer, stove, or refrigerator, we're ready to keep your appliances running. Give us a call or contact us with our online form. Let's benefit from human ingenuity, keeping our clothes clean and dry!

Posted by River City Appliance Blog

On March 7, 2024

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The Tale of the Clothes Dryer | River City Appliance Repair

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As with most innovations, the clothes dryer has a history of a simple start and incremental developments in sophistication. Learn more about the clothes dryer!