The Fabrics of History

When we bring students to Historic Fort Steuben, one of the questions we ask them is “How do historians discover what happened in the past?”  The answers we get are amusing, from watching videos to going to the library. But ultimately, we get to the fact that there are three main sources of information on the past: oral history (stories handed on through generations), written documents (letters, diaries, deeds, etc.), and physical artifacts (anything made by humans). We try to have a selection of all these types of history available for our visitors.

Some of the most common artifacts of our more recent past are the beautiful quilts that are displayed at our annual Spring Quilt Show, running this year from April 7-18. Many of the quilts tell a story through the fabric and stitching. Whether it is the one made from old flour sacks (a reminder of how previous generations created useful art in less prosperous times) or the one consisting of champion ribbons awarded at horse shows (a particular cultural phenomenon), every quilt tells a tale and reveals something of our past.

This year’s show has a wide variety of designs and fabrics on display. Whether they are stitched laboriously by hand or more quickly by machine, they are windows into other lives and an opportunity to see how creative and inventive people can be.

Be sure to stop in, admire the quilts, and vote for your favorite. You can also purchase a raffle for a handmade heart-themed quilt! History can be found in the most