Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
Historic Treasure of the Week -
November 10, 2002
By Mary Rose Hemminghouse
Vigo County Historical Society
Wreaths were made of many materials--even human hair
You never know what treasures you will find if you take the time to browse around the many rooms and halls of the Vigo County Historical Museum.
In the upstairs hall of the museum, outside of the dressmaker’s room, you will find what I believe to be a very unusual piece of art. They say art is in the eye of the beholder and this wreath made of human hair certainly deserves a look. Some people admire the intricate work done with human hair and others find it weird or distasteful. If you think about it, it really isn’t so strange. In the 1800s there were no craft stores and it was just another material that women could use to create decorative art.
Using hair to make flowers and jewelry also became popular and Godey’s Lady’s Book, in the 1850s, included instructions for a variety of flowers and designs to be made with hair. Whatever your opinion of the hair wreath in the upstairs hall, it is interesting to see and consider the design element of the wreath. Whether it is a thing of beauty, I’ll let you decide.
From its historical standpoint, wreaths are believed to have originated in Roman times and have taken on a number of variations over the years. Wreaths were believed to be an early Roman and Greek symbol of victory and celebration. They undoubtedly used natural materials that were available to them at the time to fashion wreaths. Remember the pictures of the great Roman emperor, Caesar, that you usually see. He is wearing a wreath of laurel leaves. The custom of hanging a wreath on the front door of the house probably evolved from this Roman custom.
The tradition of the more secular wreath of today has spread to encompass other seasons of the year. You will see wreaths with flowers in the spring and summer displayed. Fall brings out the wreaths with warm autumn colors and fruits of the outdoors, like gourds, berries and pumpkins. Winter brings the traditional evergreen wreath that is mounted on the door to extend the Christmas spirit to those passing by. It is amazing when you put wreaths in the context of the Roman times and realize the tradition of the custom is one of ancient times and it has persisted all this time.
What is more amazing to me is when you put “wreaths” in a search engine on the computer and you can come up with 219,000 entries in less than 1 minute. This information reveals that wreaths come from all parts of the country and they are used in multiple types of celebrations and holidays. Through the Internet, I discovered that in 1988, a National Wreath for the Unknown Soldier was presented during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. A wreath of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier seemed quite appropriate once you know the historical background of the wreath. You will also discover that certain parts of the country specialize in the variety of wreaths they produce.
From northern Minnesota, you can obtain balsam wreaths. In the Pacific Northwest, wreaths are made with English Holly and Maine is famous for the many different types of Holly wreaths. Wreaths have become big business in today’s world, judging by the Internet listings. Little did the Romans know what they started as a symbol would still be popular today in many varieties and in many countries.
On Nov. 1, the Vigo County Historical Museum started its third annual Festival of Wreaths when designers and florists brought their own variety of creations to the museum where they will be displayed throughout the building. This initiated the viewing and the silent auction that will go on for the next three weeks. During this time visitors to the museum may place a written bid for their favorite wreath. Last year, more than 30 floral creations were donated for the Festival. The person having the highest bid on the individual creation on Nov. 22, the closing day, will be the winner of that particular piece.
Remember, when you place a wreath of any kind on your door, you’re helping to keep alive a tradition that is believed to be as old as Roman times. However, the hair wreath has found its place in the historical museum and it will have to stay there for future generations to behold. Consider this an invitation to help celebrate the wreath by coming in and viewing the Festival of Wreaths and taking home one of your own to add a piece of history to you front door, whatever the season.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Web site: http://web.indstate.edu/community/vchs.