Vigo County Historical Society

I enjoy receiving photos of children of family and friends. I can imagine the joy of the person who received today’s Historical Treasure.

What is know about the photograph is that the little girl was Carolyn Surrell Andrews. The other child is her cousin. My imagination tells me that this must have been a gift to their grandmother, but no one knows. Mrs. Glenn Andrews donated it to the Vigo County Historical Museum.

Carolyn is wearing a ruffled dress with puffed sleeves. Most likely, the dress is white. Her cousin is wearing a one-piece shorts outfit that has a deep eyelet ruffle at the shoulders. His outfit also is most likely white.

Carolyn’s shoes and stockings are dark and the boy’s are white or a light color. The young lad is sitting on a curved bench or stool while Carolyn is standing by an ornate wicker chair.

They look as if they have the same background so my guess is that the photographs were taken at a studio.

The pictures are glued to a piece of glass and black paint covers the remaining portion of the glass. It is placed in an ornamental black wooden frame that is held together with decorative metal hardware.

Normally, the photos are displayed in the Victorian Nursery but for now it is part of the new exhibit "And Baby Makes Three."

It is amazing how much white clothing was made for children. I don’t know how they ever kept them clean. Maybe they weren’t as messy as my children were.

Anyway, this display will be up for the rest of the year. Come and learn about or remember now children were dressed in the past.