We are finishing the final details of our upcoming exhibit, Grandma’s Attic, so I thought I would highlight one of the items that will be on display starting Thursday May 19, 2022 at 5pm.
This is a maroon wedding dress worn by Rachel Schwenk. She was born in Perkiomen around 1862. Rachel lived most of her life in the Graterford area. She married William R. Johnson on September 25, 1890, in Graterford. They were listed as farmers in the 1900 census. However, by 1920, William transitioned out of farm life and became a carpenter. Rachel died on July 15, 1955 in Pottstown. William died on July 18, 1959 in Towamencin. They are both buried at Keelys Church Cemetery in Schwenksville.
Made mostly from silk, this dress has a few hidden surprises to it. The collar and a section on the bottom left is made of felt. There is also a metal brooch on the left side, which holds the folds of the dress into a bow shape. Another interesting part of this dress is its size. Rachel was so small, we are unable to button the top while it is on our mannequin! This dress was donated to HSMC in 1955, but it did not come with any shoes or other accessories.
This dress, and many other items will be on display at HSMC starting Thursday May 19, 2022 from 5pm to 8pm. The upcoming exhibit, Grandma’s Attic, will highlight rarely displayed objects from HSMC’s collection. Each item represents fun and unusual things you might find in a family member’s attic, basement, or other storage space. Visitors will see a wide variety of objects including, but not limited to, toys, clothing, and art. This exhibit will be free and open to the public from May 19, 2022 through March 30, 2023.
