Ant Guard: Ants, flies, roaches, and rats were a serious kitchen problem. Small saucers, called ant guards were placed beneath the legs of the food safes, the outer reservoirs filled with water to prevent pests from crawling up to the stored foods. Each table leg (such as one near left window) contained a circular dish filled with vinegar water as a way to repel ants. Like the mousetrap, this ant guard helped keep pests away from the kitchen.

Photo courtesy of Lexington County Museum