Pasadena Museum of History

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 81, China cups and saucers from a 15-piece set, circa 1890s; Painted by Eva Fényes; Portraits of Eva’s daughter Leonora and her friends; Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo Collection, 2000.019.3857. American sterling silver five-piece tea-and-coffee service, circa 1900; Made by Whiting Manufacturing Company; Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo Collection, 2000.019.3847

Museum benefactor Eva Fényes was a gifted artist. She sketched, painted, and photographed the people and sights she encountered throughout her life. The Museum’s collection of over 4,000 Fényes artworks features an impressive array of subjects that tell the story of her travels, interests, and love for her family in various media, from pencil sketches and pen-and-ink renderings to pastels and watercolor paintings.

Eva Fényes was a businessperson and divorcée at a time when neither was the norm. She traveled on her own and embraced the emerging medium of photography. Aesthetically, she selected the internationally popular Beaux Artes-style architecture for the exterior of her second Pasadena home and decorated the eclectic interior in Victorian splendor.

This sterling silver service and teacups are displayed in the dining room of the Fényes Mansion. The teacups are of special interest. From the late 1870s into the early 20th century, china painting was fashionable and considered a proper pastime for wealthy women. Eva embraced this trend and decorated these diminutive cups with sketches of her daughter and her friends. More research will be needed to determine the source of the porcelain “blanks” and the location where the pieces were fired. It's also plausible that Eva may have joined a china-painting club or taken classes to learn the necessary techniques. These questions remain unanswered for now. What we do know is Eva was involved with an art form that continues today with ceramic artists who push the boundaries of traditional painting on porcelain.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 80, A Study of Minority Housing in Pasadena Presented Graphically, 1958; Gift of Mary Conner Stefansen, 2023; Scrapbook Collection, Volume 251

As World War II ended in 1945 six local Pasadena families came together and opened Pacific Oaks Children’s School. The founders believed they could offer a progressive education that would help the world heal through the Quaker values of community, equality, and peace. By 1958, Pacific Oaks College was established to train educators to make an impact in their communities through successful careers in early childhood education. Since then, Pacific Oaks College has expanded its programs to include undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Marriage and Family Therapy, Education, Human Development, Business and Management, Psychology, and Social Work.

Betsy Lovell Conner, who attended Pacific Oaks College in the late 1950s, took teacher training classes. She produced this report on the disparity of housing for African Americans in Pasadena for a community analysis course. Her thorough presentation included a Housing Case Study and maps of Racial Distribution of School Enrollment (1948-49 & 1958). The bibliography includes the 1950 U.S. Census and 1958 Statistical Abstract, and a Pasadena Planning Commission Housing Survey (1950). A pamphlet compiled in February 1959 by the Fair Housing Committee of the Pasadena Area was added at the end of the report.

In 1961, Betsy Conner helped launch the Mother’s Club with founder and Quaker Mara Moser. The club, now known as Families Forward, was established to provide friendship and social support to overwhelmed moms in the community.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 79, Ginger Morrison and her cat Pip, October 28, 1993; Photograph by John Hayes; Pasadena Star-New Collection, Fires, Altadena

Among the many treasures in our Archives are the photographs in the Pasadena Star-News Photo Collection. In 1995, PMH received the newspaper’s photo collection, which included more than 100,000 images and 218 bound newspaper volumes of the Pasadena Star, the Pasadena Daily News, and their successor, the Pasadena Star-News.

The collection includes images from as early as the 1920s and as late as the 2000s, with most dating from the 1980s and 1990s. The black-and-white photos include crop marks and notations from the layout process and possibly a copy of the caption used in print on the reverse.

Here, we see a heartwarming photograph labeled “work print” of Pip reunited with her owner, Ginger Morrison after the 1993 Kinneloa Fire. Following the fire, Pip was lost for 24 hours. The published caption on the back of the photo tells us Morrison lost her home to the fire.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 78, Spanish Baroque iron-mounted walnut vargueño with Moorish-influenced geometric inlay of bone and ivory (tinted and gilded); 17th century

One of the oldest pieces in the Fényes Mansion is the 17th century Spanish Baroque vargueño (var-ghen’-yoh). This beautiful walnut cabinet is finely crafted with Moorish-influenced geometric bone and ivory inlay. Designed for travel, the piece contains secret compartments and hidden drawers used to secure jewels and other valuables. Our student visitors are especially intrigued by the secret drawers, making this an unforgettable memory of their tour of the Mansion.

It is believed that Spanish artisans in the town of Vargas near Toledo devised a kind of cabinet in the 15th century that was superior to chests and hutches previously known. During the following two centuries, the manufacture of these cabinets continued and reached its highest point of excellence. The name was originally spelled with a V; it gradually changed to bargueño.

The vargueño cabinet is a rectangular box with one side hinged at the bottom. When the hinged side is let down, it exposes small sliding drawers, which later came to be supplemented by several open pigeonholes or a little cupboard with a hinged door. Small enough to be portable, the earliest vargueños were made with easy transportation in mind. Secret compartments and hidden drawers secured jewels and other valuables while traveling. Vargueños stood on one of three bases: a table-type stand, a carved trestle stand, or a cabinet stand. Made of walnut, with a smooth exterior surface, the outside of the early cabinet was either not decorated at all or ornamented very sparingly.

#100 objects100days

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 77, WPA project, construction of rubble walls along East Drive, Rose Bowl, January 1936; Photo Album Collection, Photo Album 114, page 13c; WPA project, laying footings for the rubble walls on West Drive, Rose Bowl, January 1936; Photo Album Collection, Photo Album 114, page 14a; WPA project, completed rubble stone walls and walk at East Drive, Rose Bowl, January 1936; Photo Album Collection, Photo Album 114, page 14b

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal established the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The program aimed to improve long-term infrastructure and provide much-needed jobs during the Great Depression. The WPA achieved both goals. From 1935-1943, the WPA supported 1.4 million projects by employing 8.5 million people, building or renovating schools, libraries, government buildings, parks, roads, and bridges and building and improving many of the country’s airports.

A selection of photographs in our Archives dated January 1936 illustrate a local WPA project. Many fans are familiar with the rubble rock walls, tunnels, and ramps around the landmark Rose Bowl stadium. Here, the construction can be seen as the foundation is prepared and the project completed.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 76, Untitled, pine tree at lake, n.d.; Ernest A. Batchelder, unsigned; Oil on board; Gift of Robert Winter, 2015.008.221. La Loma Bridge under construction, circa 1914; Ernest A. Batchelder, unsigned; Oil on board; Gift of the Batchelder Family, 2016.009.01

Prolific tilemaker Ernest A. Batchelder died on this date in 1957 (b. 1875), leaving a legacy of artistic inspiration, creativity, and beauty. As founder of the Batchelder Tile Company, his Arts and Crafts-inspired tiles ushered in the golden age of California tile making. First and foremost an educator, Batchelder taught at Throop Polytechnic Institute and served as Director of Art at Throop before establishing his own “School of Design and Handicraft,” which formally opened in February 1910 - the same year Batchelder began to produce tiles in the backyard of his home on the banks of the Arroyo Seco.

In 2015, the late architectural historian, Robert Winter, Ph.D., donated his personal collection of over 200 Batchelder tiles made between the years 1910 and the early 1930s, and accompanying archives, to PMH.

The gift was followed by a donation of Batchelder papers from Ernest Batchelder’s grandson, Alan Batchelder, and his family. Together, the two donations comprise a major Arts and Crafts collection that is particularly meaningful to the cultural history of this region.

What is not well-known is that Ernest Batchelder was also an accomplished painter. The Museum is fortunate to have two of his paintings in our fine arts collection. Robert Winter’s 2015 gift included a beautiful scene of pine trees at the edge of a lake. Also in the collection is a beautiful rendering of the La Loma Bridge that was gifted to us in 2016 by Alan Batchelder.

Go behind the scenes of our new exhibition this Thursday evening!

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Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 75, Jesse Meza, Pasadena Civic Auditorium construction site, 1931-1932; MPC M2-9c

Jesse Meza (1902-1983) was listed as Refugio (Jesús) Meza in the 1930s Pasadena City Directories. He worked on building the Pasadena Civic Auditorium as the country was experiencing the effects of the Great Depression. In her book “Historic Pasadena,” historian Ann Scheid suggests this would be the last job for a long time for many of the workers who built the auditorium. According to the 1930 census figures, the city’s domestic workers constituted the largest group of unemployed in the city, and most were women; retail salespersons (many of whom were also women) were the second-largest group. Many of the unemployed were members of the construction trades (most were men).

On February 15, 1932, the Mediterranean Revival building opened to the public. The Pasadena Civic Auditorium was dedicated “to the citizens of Pasadena, whose efforts and sacrifices have made the er****on of this beautiful and useful building possible.” Around the time Jesse Meza worked on the Civic Auditorium, Jesse owned a home at 185 & 1/2 North Vernon Avenue, just south of Walnut Street and east of Pasadena Avenue. Later, he moved to 295 Willard Street and lived there for decades. Jesse’s descendants continued to live locally and donated family photographs to the Museum.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 74, Chariot Race Pennant, January 1, 1914; 2018-010-001; Gift of Mary Aal, Costumes and Textiles Collection

The first New Year’s Day college football game following the Tournament of Roses® Parade was held at Tournament Park in 1902. Michigan famously won the game against Stanford with a score of 49-0. With such disappointing results, the Tournament began looking for alternative post-parade activities. The president of the Tournament came up with the idea of staging ancient Roman-style chariot races. From 1904 through 1915, toga-wearing charioteers drove four-horse teams around a dirt track in front of thousands of spectators. These races were not only expensive to produce but also very dangerous. Football games were reinstated in 1916 and have continued ever since. This pennant and a few pictures of the races are wonderful reminders of this unusual chapter in Tournament history.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 73, San Gabriel Mission Church, San Gabriel, n.d.; Hand-colored photography by Frederick W. Martin; Frederick W. Martin Collection, FWM-3; Poppy Fields, Altadena, n.d.; Hand-colored photography by Frederick W. Martin; Frederick W. Martin Collection, FWM-30

Frederick W. Martin (1877-1949) arrived in Pasadena around 1904. He worked with Koehler Photography Studio and lived with his father at 557 East Walnut Street. Soon, he started his own photography studio at 62 East Colorado Street. After marrying (1916 or 1917), he and his wife owned a home at 225 North Madison. By 1930, his studio was located at 137 West Colorado Street, where he remained for the rest of his career.

Martin is well known for his hand-painted scenes of California landscapes, including desert scenes, missions, and beaches. In the mid-to-late 19th century, well before the introduction of color film (1935), artists began hand-coloring monochrome photographs. Beginning with enhancing a studio photographic portrait, artists went on to hand-paint all types of images, something contemporary artists still do today.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 72, Captain Thomas F. Ellsworth’s Civil War Escutcheon, 19th century; Gift of Bette Garren; Thomas F. Ellsworth Collection

In 2015 PMH presented “When J***y Came Marching West: How the Civil War Shaped Pasadena,” an exhibitioncommemorating the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War (April 6, 1865), joining organizations nationwide to observe the sesquicentennial of a conflict that continues to affect America today. Our exhibition explored California's surprisingly important role in the war, and how its aftermath influenced the development of our local communities.

Co-curator Nick Smith featured the military career of Captain Thomas F. Ellsworth, displaying his officer’s saber, scabbard (1864), and escutcheon. Civil War veterans commissioned escutcheons to commemorate their military service. Configured in the style of a heraldic coat of arms, the designs included an American eagle with flags at the top and the individual’s name in a banner below. The main shield is framed with a gold rococo scroll and divided into four quadrants by a red cross. Emblems of the service member’s rank can be seen in each quadrant.

Thomas Foulds Ellsworth (1840-1922) enlisted in the Union Army, was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry, rose to the rank of Captain, and commanded Company B, 55th Massachusetts Infantry, the second regiment of African American soldiers from Massachusetts. On November 30, 1864, while fighting Confederate forces, Captain Ellsworth carried his wounded commanding officer, Colonel A.S. Hartwell, off the field under heavy fire, preventing his capture and saving his life. Ellsworth was awarded the Medal of Honor on November 18, 1895. After the war, he worked as an officer of the Boston Custom House before moving in the 1890s to Pasadena, where he ran a contracting business with his son. Ellsworth is one of 700 Civil War veterans buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 71, John Muir holding a Sugar Pine pinecone, n.d.; MPC, People

Our Director of Collections, Anuja Navare, remembers the excitement almost 12 years ago when our knowledgeable and long-time Archives Volunteer, the late Sid Gally, discovered a note written by John Muir (1838-1914) on the back of a photograph. In the photo, John Muir is standing in front of a Sugar Pine holding a pinecone. The note says, "The grandest tree in the world, the Sugar Pine, and the grandest mountaineer in the world, John Muir." According to the late Sid Gally, the inscription matched known examples of Muir's handwriting. A historian at the Huntington Library who has read Muir's letters to fellow naturalist Theodore Parker Lukens (1848-1918) said they often exchanged humorous letters with information on trees. Thanks to our beloved volunteer, we have documented this example of Muir’s handwriting in our collection.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 70, Lyle Richard Barnett Civ Aide A.R.C. , circa 1917; Gift of Thomas & Cheryl Banigan; Lyle Richard Barnett Collection, 2021.003; Donor Thomas Banigan poses with Lyle Barnett’s uniform in PMH exhibition, 2022; Photo by James Staub

World War I began on July 28, 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Before the U.S. officially entered the war on April 6, 1917, Pasadena residents supported volunteer and humanitarian relief efforts, including volunteering for the American Field Service Ambulance Corps headquartered in France, and joining the British and Canadian military forces. The greater Los Angeles Chapter of the American Red Cross sent food and medical supplies to the front and, after the U.S. became involved, organized the all-volunteer Pasadena Ambulance Company No 1.

Born in Iowa, Lyle Richard Barnett (1896–1970) was living in Pasadena when the U.S. entered the war. He volunteered to join the Pasadena Ambulance Company No. 1 and spent most of his time in France and Italy. Barnett wrote a letter describing what it was like when the Americans arrived in Italy. Excerpts from the letter were published in the Pasadena Star-News. He returned home aboard the S.S. Leviathan in the summer of 1919. Barnett and his wife, Ora Bell Barnett, are buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena.

Thanks to a generous donation from Thomas and Cheryl Banigan, PMH’s recent “Starting Anew” exhibition showcased Bennett’s Civ Aide A.R.C. uniform along with his A.R.C. wallet and the foreign currency it contained. The items were originally purchased by Thomas’ father, Dr. Thomas F. Banigan, from an antiques shop in Old Pasadena in 1969. They were tightly packed inside a trunk bearing Lyle Barnett’s name, along with numerous other articles from WWI.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 69, Jackie Robinson (left) and teammate Ray Bartlett (center) with UCLA basketball coach Wilbur Johns, circa 1940; Black History Collection, BH-L-7-13

Jackie (Jack) Robinson was already known as a gifted and award-winning athlete before enrolling at UCLA in 1939. At UCLA, he continued winning track, football, basketball, and baseball awards. Author Arnold Rampersad notes that Coach Wilbur Johns believed that Robinson might have become "the greatest of all basketball players.” His timing was perfect. His rhythm unmatched. He had the valuable faculty of being able to relax at the proper time. Above all, Jack "always placed the welfare of his team above his chance for greater stardom.”

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 68, Exterior, Cheesewright Studios, 1030 East Green Street, Pasadena, n.d.; MPC, B8f-70-3

The late architectural historian Robert Winter considered Edgar James “E. J.” Cheesewright the "foremost designer of residential interiors in Southern California during the 1920s." Edgar Cheesewright (1880-1957) was born in London. He launched a small-scale interior decorating business after moving to Pasadena in 1918. By 1929, he employed over 100 people, and opened his new 35,000-square-foot headquarters at 1030 East Green Street. The building’s interior was decorated with fine antiques, expensive wallpapers, and imported European fixtures which served as inspiration for Cheesewright’s exclusive clientele. His notable interiors included Greystone Mansion, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and Hearst Castle.

PMH’s Archives houses a collection of Cheesewright Studios portfolios featuring furniture, wallpapers, home accessories, and examples of various decorated rooms and residences.

If the exterior photograph looks familiar, it may be that you have dined at Madeline Garden Bistro, located in what was the Cheesewright Studio headquarters.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 67, Czech Bohemian glassware decanter with stopper, circa 1900; Produced by Ludvig Moser, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic; Gift of Paula K. Stahl; 88-13-1a

Glass pieces by artisan Ludwig Moser (1833–1916) are often referred to as "the Cadillac of glass." These antique hand-blown pieces are free of warping and bubbles, and their designs are deeply set on the surface. This decanter is a fine example of Moser's later work, which featured bees, acorns, dragonflies, other garden elements, and intricate gold enameling.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days, Day 66, Hikers, Silver Spray Falls, Arroyo Seco, 1887; Photograph by Lucius Jarvis; Photo album collection Box 4, Volume 13, 34A; Yucca or Spanish Bayonet, 1887; Photo album collection Box 4, Volume 13, 28A

Housed in our Archives is a 125-year-old photo album containing 40 beautiful scenes from Pasadena. The images were taken by 22-year-old Lucius Emerson Jarvis (1865-1943). The album contains a variety of subjects and images, such as these showing hikers admiring the area’s natural beauty and Yucca in full bloom.

Lucius Jarvis was born in Marshalltown, Iowa. His father, Benjamin Jarvis, a Civil War veteran, was also a photographer. Lucius was lured to California in 1886 by the low railway fares to the West. After arriving in Pasadena, he found employment at the E. S. Frost & Sons photographic studio. In 1887, Lucius purchased the business, including the studio’s photographic equipment and inventory of negatives. Business was so good that Lucius convinced his father to join him in Pasadena. The Jarvises photographed whatever was in demand, including property, livestock, excursions, picnics, and portraits.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days – Day 65, Opening, La Loma Bridge, South of California Boulevard, Pasadena, November 17, 1914 (Flag_2-17-187); Interior of freezer at PMH storing historic photographic negatives, Staff Photo

This image from the opening ceremonies for the La Loma Bridge in 1914 is just one of more than 200,000 at-risk negatives that are now cryogenically preserved by PMH as part of the Museum’s Great History Freeze project of 2015. The whole bridge was decorated festively for the occasion with green foliage. According to the Pasadena Daily News, contractor Paul Munoz officially opened the bridge by cutting a greenery garland. All the workmen who built the structure were present along with hundreds of people from the adjoining neighborhood. Also present were 100+ children, many of them from Broadoaks School, who danced and participated in a small parade that marched across the bridge.

Thanks to our generous donors, images like this will not be lost to time and deterioration. The Great History Freeze achieved – and then surpassed – its goal of raising funds to purchase a 20-cubic-foot industrial freezer to preserve its irreplaceable, but at-risk, collection of historic images. This initial success propelled the Museum to its ultimate target of 10 freezers, which now house in deep-freeze safety all the fragile negatives in the Museum’s archival storage.

As shown, the interior of each freezer is filled with archival boxes containing negatives that have been carefully documented and individually packaged for optimum preservation. To learn more about the preservation process and to view a small sampling of the extraordinary images housed within the freezers, visit our free online exhibition, Frozen Frames - currently featuring images from our Flag, Hawkins, and Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo Collections - which you can access on pasadenahistory.org.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days – Day 64, View from the artist’s backyard, n.d.; Gilbert L. Skutt; Oil on board; Gift of Michael Pierceall; 2014.009.01

Gilbert Skutt (1882-1967) was not an artist by trade. His love of the natural landscape eventually drew him to plein air painting. While growing up in Denver, Colorado, he took courses in horticulture and landscaping and began to work in these fields, including as a salesman for a bulb and seed importing house and manager of a nursery.

In 1917, Skutt moved to Pasadena, where he was appointed superintendent of the city parks in 1923. He is credited with improving many parks and the civic center during his tenure. Skutt was a member of the Pasadena Horticultural Society, the American Institute of Park Executives, and the State Forestry Committee. He was a member of the prestigious California Art Club, and there is evidence that his work was exhibited in his lifetime. Skutt painted in the surrounding countryside and Palm Springs with friends and noted artists Paul Lauritz (1889–1975) and Jean Mannheim (1863–1945). He often worked right in his backyard, perhaps where this work was painted.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days – Day 63, Model, Ye Alpine Tavern on Mount Lowe, circa 1930; Made by A.H. Koch; Gift of Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce; 1964.010.01

The Mount Lowe Railway opened on July 4, 1893. Described as the Railway in the Sky or the Railway to the Clouds, it was the dream of two remarkable individuals, Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe (1832–1913) and Scottish railway engineer David J. Macpherson (1854–1927). Millions made the 7-mile journey above Altadena to enjoy which offered breathtaking views of the San Gabriel Valley. On a clear day, you could see Catalina Island.

The Railway, considered an engineering marvel in its day, cost $700,000 ($21,700,000 today) to build. After stepping off a Red Car at Mountain Junction Railway Terminal on North Lake Avenue, travelers began the excursion via trolley into Rubio Canyon to Incline Station, Rubio Canyon Pavilion, and Hotel Rubio. This was the transfer point for the heart-stopping ride ahead. Specially engineered trolley cars, “White Chariots,” ascended the Great Incline, a 3,000-foot cable-driven funicular railway. At the top of the 62% grade stood Echo Mountain Station, The Chalet, and Echo Mountain House. The hotels were painted white and dramatically lit, earning the nickname White City.

On December 14, 1896, a narrow-gauge trolley opened from Echo Mountain Station, passing Lowe Observatory and traveling 3.5 miles through spectacular scenery, including Horseshoe Curve and Circular Bridge, to Crystal Springs and the Ye Alpine Tavern (Alpine Tavern) on Mt. Lowe, a two-story Swiss-style chalet building designed by Pasadena Architect Louis Kowski. The 12-room hotel offered hiking in summer and sleigh rides in winter. The dining room accommodated 100 and was a favorite spot for dinner and dancing. Renamed the Mount Lowe Tavern in 1925, it burned down in 1936. The Mount Lowe Railway remained one of Southern California’s greatest tourist attractions until its closure in 1938.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days – Day 62, Will Rogers Autographing the Pasadena Bulldog Drum, 1933; Photograph by J. Allen Hawkins; J. Allen Hawkins Collection

As we anticipate the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris next week, PMH looks back to 1932 - the very first time the international sports event was held locally. Los Angeles also hosted the 1984 Olympics and will again welcome the world’s athletes in 2028.

The Pasadena Junior College Bulldog Band was one of the official bands for the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As a souvenir of the occasion, band members were gifted the drumhead signed by attending celebrities, including movie stars like Will Rogers and Greta Garbo, swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, and boxers Louie Salica and Del Smith. In 2023, the Hawkins family donated this unique item to the Museum.

Centennial Exposition: 100 Objects in 100 Days – Day 61, Boy’s Sailor Suit, 1920s; Sold by Bullock’s Los Angeles; Gift of Edwin Morgan; Costume & Textile Collection; 83.2.5a-c.

Sailor suits became popular after Queen Victoria (1819–1901) had a replica of a naval uniform made in 1846 for her oldest son, Edward VII, Prince of Wales (1841–1910). The two-piece outfit included a middy blouse (a loose-fitting blouse with a sailor collar), bloomers, and long or short pants. Variations of the design remained popular until the 1920s and were worn every day or as school uniforms. Girls also wore sailor suits with a middy top and pleated skirt. Nautical themes found their way into women’s fashion in the early 20th century with the popularity of the sailor suit or the sailor dress.

This two-piece long-sleeved sailor suit has a navy-blue collar and cuffs, white trim, and button-in white dickey. The right sleeve has a hand-embroidered eagle and anchor and the knee-length pants button at the side waistline.