What is a hope chest? (Or rather, what was a hope chest?) The term tends to connotate a lot of different ideas and notions (it’s that “old thing” from the 19th century, right?), but have you ever thought about the actual history of the design, what it means and why it once flourished and is now all but perished? Something as simple as a piece of furniture might not seem that exciting, but, as it turns out, the hope chest has quite the history.
Historically, hope chests were large trunk chests that mothers would pass on to their daughters.
Oftentimes, a mother would start preparing a hope chest from the time her daughter was a young age and slowly build the collection as the years went by. The chests contained many things like silverware, china, linens, clothing, and jewelry that were considered “essentials” for a young woman about to start a new life in marriage. It was also standard practice to include family heirlooms and mementos. Things like albums or photographs, letters or treasured objects passed down through the generations that may not have much monetary or practical value – but in which the young woman could find comfort.
The concept of the hope chest dates back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians created wooden chests, often ornately decorated, to store valuables such as jewelry, coins, and travel essentials, reflecting both wealth and purpose; some of these chests, including those of King Tut, survive today in museums. In medieval Europe (5th–15th centuries), wooden chests became widespread, crafted from hardwoods like oak, walnut, and pine, often adorned with friezes, panels, and handles for practicality during times of war or travel. In Italy, the cassone, a large, elaborately decorated chest, was used in dynastic marriages to display wealth and serve as a dowry.
Hope chests were built and decorated based on the family’s wealth. In Italy, Sicilian women from poor families typically remained unmarried because they couldn’t afford to stuff their hope chests with twelve (12!) beds worth of linens. The quality of the linens in a woman’s hope chest represented how much of a “catch” she was.
Depending on the country, there is also a custom in which a child would prepare a dozen (again, 12!) quilt tops for her hope chest, with the 13th top being called a “bridal quilt.” Once she became engaged, there was a party in which women were invited to quilt all the tops together as they prepared for the bride’s impending nuptials.
The hope chest tradition spread across Europe, with variations such as dowry chests, trousseau chests, and glory boxes. These chests were used to collect household linens, clothing, quilts, and keepsakes for a bride-to-be. European immigrants, including German settlers in America, brought the tradition to the New World, where it became a practical part of daily life in the 1700s and 1800s.
By the mid to late 1800s, hope chests became more decorative and symbolic. They reflected Victorian ideals of domestic skill and respectability, and a well-made chest could also signal social standing. Many were now purchased rather than handmade.
Young women stored linens, quilts, and essentials in chests that reflected local materials and immigrant folk art styles Amish communities, in particular, crafted simple yet ornately painted chests, emphasizing skill, patience, and preparation for marriage. Mothers often began preparing a chest for their daughters from a young age, gradually filling it with essentials and family heirlooms.
Traditionally, hope chests were made of cedar, prized for its natural aroma and ability to repel insects, protecting fabrics and linens until marriage. (P.S. Clothes stored in a cedar chest or dresser smell so good!) Over time, other hardwoods such as cherry, oak, and maple were also used. Chests were often richly decorated, reflecting both personal taste and social status, and some were designed for portability to accommodate brides leaving home.
In the early 1900s, hope chests became a national tradition through the rise of the Lane Cedar Chest. Founded in 1912, Lane used mass production and marketing to turn cedar-lined chests into a common rite of passage for young women across America.
As a bride in the early 1970s, I never had one. But my mother had a Lane hope chest, and I recall spending hours looking at her wedding album, her gown, meaningful holiday cards, and valentines I made in school. However, there was one item in there that frightened the pudding out of me…It was a mink fur wrap with the head attached and used as a clasp…Eeww! I know they were popular in the 1940s…but even writing about it gives me the willies!!
Hope chests symbolized preparation for adulthood, marriage, and family life. They were both practical storage pieces and cultural artifacts, representing family expectations, craftsmanship, and the passing down of traditions While the practice has declined in modern times due to changing social norms and the reduced emphasis on dowries, hope chests remain meaningful as heirlooms, keepsakes, and decorative furniture.
Today, hope chests are no longer exclusively tied to marriage. They serve as storage for linens, quilts, toys, or family treasures, and are often valued for their aesthetic and sentimental qualities. Antique and modern versions continue to be crafted, preserving the tradition while adapting to contemporary lifestyles.
Ultimately, between the rise and fall of the hope chest, we can be assured that if there’s one thing that’s everlasting, it’s hope–even if our hopes have changed with the times.
Born and raised in western Massachusetts, Jo-Ann Roberts was fascinated by America’s Old West and always felt she was destined to travel on a wagon train following the Oregon Trail. With her love of history and reading, she began reading historical romance during high school and college. Victoria Holt, Jude Deveraux, and Roseanne Bittner were among her favorites. Influenced by her father, she fell in love with John Wayne, James Garner, and her all-time favorite, James Stewart and grew up watching Wagon Train, Bonanza and Rawhide.
A firm believer in HEA with a healthy dose of realism, Jo-Ann strives to give her readers a sweet historical romance while imparting carefully researched historical facts, personalities, and experiences relative to the time period. Her romances take her readers back to a simpler time to escape the stress of modern life by living in a small town where families and friends help one another find love and happiness.
When she isn’t creating believable plots and relatable heroes and heroines, Jo-Ann enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandson. She also enjoys baking, quilting and eating way too much chocolate.
After 38 years in public education in Connecticut and Maryland, she’s now calls North Carolina home.
In high school, Lane would give all the girls a small cedar box and a coupon for a discount on a hope chest, later they included the boys with the giveaways. I still have mine.
Some friends and I would collect items, even though we didn’t have an actual chest. I later bought one for myself, and it contains quilts, and when my mother-in-law died, I took hers, too. Discovered it was full of quilts, so I have even more.
My parents have a painted one from the 1700s.
My mom had a cedar chest where woolen blankets and sweaters were stored during those months when they weren’t needed (in MD outside Wash., D.C. it was hot and humid during the summer; these items were only for the cold part of the year). My siblings gave me one when I married but my husband has horrific allergies; he refused to store anything he’d be using in it since the scent of cedar doesn’t agree with him. Thus it became the repository for his sports equipment (stuff like balls, bats, gloves…) and is housed in the garage.
When I graduated I received a tiny cedar “hope chest” with a set of keys to have as a jewelry box – I have hubs grandmother’s cedar hope chest with copper hinges and corners on it – it was kept in her basement and the legs rotted away from moisture – I refurnished it and keep quilts in it at the foot of the bed – it really is pretty!
My Grandmother gave me a Lane Cedar chest as a high school graduation gift. She included several quilts from her family that were well over 100 years old at the time. I added to the chest over the years. I lost the chest and all the treasures in a house fire over 35 years ago.
I am blessed to inherit my paternal great-grandmother’s chest made by her son – my grandfather. I graduated high school and married in 1973 and it was filled with many things you listed in your post.
I had a little cedar chest jewelry box. Thanks for the interesting article.
I remember when I first learned of hope chests as a child that I wanted one. I did start one but it was lost in a move.
When we graduated all of the girls in our class were given small replica cedar chests that locked. I believe they were provided by the Lane company. When my husband asked me to marry him and wanted us to go find an engagement ring, instead I asked him to build me a hope chest. We picked out the wood together and he made a beautiful chest, which I still have! He passed away several years ago, but the chest still sits at the end of my bed.
I have my grandmother’s cedar hope chest that I use to store quilts and blankets. I also have a miniature Lane cedar chest that I received for my high school graduation in the 1990s.
Welcome today and thanks for sharing this all about Hope Chests. When I turned 16, my parents got me a hope chest. It was a light colored cedar. Very simple, but oh boy did I have fun putting things in it for my marriage some day. My first item was a queen sized marriage quit that I made myself. Than other things got added over time. Funnily enough, when I did get married, a lot of those things I really didn’t want anymore. My new husband didn’t really care for them either. So I sold them. But we used our wedding quilt for mannnny years.
My mom had a cedar chest that my oldest sister got when my mom died. My sister told me I could have it before she passed away.
I have a hope chest. I can’t remember when I got it, but it was probably late in high school. I use it more as special keepsake storage, but for a while it stored my china, which felt a bit like a step back in time. 🙂
What a great article! I love the painted blanket chests–they are so gorgeous. We have a 1840s walnut blanket chest that we bought when we had our antiques shop back in the early 70s. Holds blankets and out-of-season clothes. I love it!
Hi, I loved reading your post. When I was a senior in HS, every senior girl got a little hope chest- jewelry box, I used it to keep my jewelry , it was pretty cute. I actually dont remember what happened to it, but it was cute. Thank you for sharing this info with us. Have a great day and a great week.
My mother and I use our cedar chests for winter clothes and wool blankets and coats.
My mom has my grandmother’s… my dad built me one… simple, nothing fancy, but he did it by hand.
My oldest sister wanted a Lane hope chest and I think she eventually got one. It was never a big item on my wish list. My mother-in-law just called hers a cedar chest and it was used mainly for storing extra linens and a few heirlooms. My sister-in- law has it. My mother did make sure all three of us girls had dishes and silverware and some linens before we graduated from high school. She always said we would need them wherever we lived whether we were married or not. I used some of mine when I was in college.
I remember the Lane salesman coming to the school and the girls were treated to a display of chests–and we were given mini cedar chests as a souvenir. I still use mine for jewelry and it still smells good! (No, I never got the full-sized one.)
I never had one, my mom had a chest with all her important memories stored inside and there were she keeped your birth certificate twins and my father military awards and of course her wedding dress and photos of the families. Do remember get lane mini chest at graduation.
There were no hope chests in my mother’s family, but she did have one of the small Lane boxes. My dad’s sister did have one (she was the only daughter) and I got it several years ago partly because they had no children. It still had all her things in it. Sadly there was a layette for a newborn in it. Likely a gift from a well meaning friend when she married. It was interesting looking at the things from the ’30’s and ’40’s. There was one surprise buried on the bottom under everything. It was a lovely Valentine card signed by a man I never heard of. Unfortunately that generation of the family is gone, so there is no one to ask if they know who it was. I have purchased several cedar chests at auction or antique/junk shops. They have gone to our daughters. It is a shame the hope chest idea has more or less disappeared. Even. if not putting things aside for marriage, there is nothing to say you can’t do the same for your future no matter what it holds.
I ad one that was given to my mother – I think – when her cousin died. When i got married, I was living in Denver and my husband didn’t want to haul it around so my m om gave it to a neighbor girl.