65TH ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD'S FIRST LAUNDROMAT

65TH ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD'S FIRST LAUNDROMAT

FORT WORTH, Tex. (Wireless Flash) -- April 18 is a sudsy date -- it's the 65th anniversary of the day the world's first laundromat opened in Fort Worth, Texas. According to Fort Worth historian Ken Hopkins, the first laundromat was called the "Washateria" and officially opened on April 18, 1934. The "Washateria" was the brainchild of a man named John Cantrell, who charged folks a fee to rent his machines by the hour. Unfortunately for Cantrell, the first "Washateria" was a flop and it closed down in 1942. Even worse, Cantrell died in 1945 and never got to see his creation become a worldwide phenomenon. These days, Fort Worth seems to have washed its hands of its laundromat history. Tourism officials there admit they didn't even know there was an anniversary and say there are no plans to place a historical plaque at the site of the Washateria.

CONTACT: Ken Hopkins, ***; Ft. Worth, TX; (817) 871-7701; Ft. Worth Tourism Bureau; (817) 336-8791