Washington Centennial 1889

 

Library of Congress

Mrs. H.H. Morey, perhaps in 1889, dated by 

the fabric hanging behind her.

[This photo may be a little yellow]

I had long thought this yardage featuring Presidents George Washington & Benjamin Harrison was campaign yardage for Harrison who was inaugurated in 1889. But no, it is a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Washington's inauguration in New York.

New York had a three-day event at the end of April, beginning

of May in 1889. Triumphal arches, parades, etc.

The temporary plaster arch in Washington Square was so popular

they rebuilt it in permanent fashion after the parades.

There don't seem to be a lot of surviving souvenirs.

Here's Harrison giving a speech before the giant 

statue of Washington on the site of the 1789 inauguration.

St. Louis Post Dispatch

New York's celebration may have been the largest but towns

all over the U.S. celebrated.

Going back to Mrs. Morey, her photo is not of her home in Chelsea, Vermont but shows her at the neighboring Turnbridge World's Fair. (That's what they've called it for over 150 years.)

Turnbridge World's Fair, 1885

She's sitting in the Millinery & Dressmaking Exhibit.

The yardage came in at least two colorways.

And a few people made quilts out of it

Small piece displayed at the Virginia Quilt Museum

Offered at a Doyle Auction

Same style, different quilt

From Carol Weiss at Rue du Tresor 

Which makes one wonder if this is not

a Washington Centennial panel too.

International Quilt Festival Collection

James Julia auction

Washington Centennial quilts, Pennsylvania Style?

Front of a quilt recorded by the Western Pennsylvania project

from the Quilt Index

The Back

Another backing. They know what they have there at the Harrison site. Their caption

made it clear to me.

Everybody in New York must have turned out to see those three

days of parades, including my Irish grandparents---young

children in 1889.

Fifty years later in 1939 they had an even bigger celebration of the 150th anniversary, the 1939 Worlds Fair at Flushing Meadows.