U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 8

WASHINGTON, April 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

THURSDAY, APRIL 8: FIRST LAUNDROMAT

Profile America — Thursday, April 8th.  The hassle for urban dwellers of doing their laundry began to ease this month in 1934 — when the first public, self-operated laundry in the U.S. opened its doors in Fort Worth, Texas.  The first name was  "Washateria," eventually replaced with the now familiar "Laundromat."  Early facilities were not necessarily coin-operated and there was always an attendant on duty.  The automatic washing machine came along in 1937 and by the late 1940s, the first unattended, 24-hour Laundromats were opened.  Now, there are close to 14,000 Laundromats across the country, and they do $2.8 billion of business annually.  Profile America is presented by the U.S. Census Bureau, reminding you — take part in the 2010 Census and put your census form in the mail.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 2442

440 International Calendar of Events, Those Were the Days

2002 Economic Census, NAICS 812310

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau