AUGUSTA GALLERY
 of WEST VIRGINIA FOLKLIFE 

BROOM  MAKING

Jake and Retha Casto with neighbor and apprentice Rose Ann Cowger, make brooms on Jake’s old homemade equipment. Jake, from a long line of broom makers, continued to raise broom corn, well into old age, and still makes a few brooms at his Webster County homeplace.  A591A

 

After the wrapping process, the broom corn is secure, but still needs to be sewn and trimmed.  A591B

 

Jake and Retha Casto sewing a broom. It will then be trimmed to make the end flat.  A591O

 

Marion O’Brien of Webster County holding a handmade shaved broom that was made by his grandfather, Samson Hammonds.  (FL392B)

 
These are homemade hand brooms by Tyson and Stanley Propst of Brandywine, Pendleton County. A family tradition, they raised their own broom corn for the material.    (FL796G)