I enjoy sifting through museum collections online. It feels a bit like a treasure hunt and is way healthier than doom scrolling on social media. I'm grateful to the institutions who have made so much of their holdings available to members of the public like us. And, I want to … [Read more...] about Dress Fabrics of the 1830’s, 1840’s and 1850’s: A Reference.
material culture
Traditional Trades & Professions Quiz – Level 1 (Easy)
Test your knowledge of historical trades and traditional jobs. "Level 1" features terminology which should be familiar to many English speakers, but some questions may still prove tricky. See how well you can do. Notice: All questions, answers, and explanations may not be … [Read more...] about Traditional Trades & Professions Quiz – Level 1 (Easy)
6 Reasons Why This Historic Photo of St. Louis is Amazing [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 3]
In Part 2 of this series, I concluded that despite scarce photographic evidence, American women who participated in the movement West in the early to mid-19th century really did wear sunbonnets on a regular basis. Surviving physical examples, newspaper references, and written … [Read more...] about 6 Reasons Why This Historic Photo of St. Louis is Amazing [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 3]
Romanticized Myth or Pioneering Reality? [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 2]
The Sunbonnet: Genuine frontier clothing, or inaccurate cliché? Picture in your mind a woman of the 1800's living on the American frontier. What do you see? She is probably riding in a covered wagon or hanging laundry nearby a log cabin. This woman is likely wearing a printed … [Read more...] about Romanticized Myth or Pioneering Reality? [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 2]
Snarky skincare advice for backwoods women [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 1]
Why did 19th century women wear their sun bonnets, or not? Women who don't wear bonnets... ...according to a Missouri newspaper column published in 1849. * A rennet-bag is the fourth stomach of a ruminant (cow), a traditional natural source of enzymes for making … [Read more...] about Snarky skincare advice for backwoods women [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 1]
