How much fun it is to plan a style show based on a wedding theme. What dresses should we choose? What periods in Minnesota history should we represent? How many dresses can we interpret? Is there information in our library about any of these women? What else should we show? Clothing they might have worn on their honeymoon? Had they been working outside of the home? Were they teachers, Red Cross volunteers, secretaries? What can we find out about their lives?

On Saturday, April 26, the museum is sponsoring a fashion show/fund-raiser in Bethany Hall of First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The program begins at 9 a.m. You are welcome to a glass of punch, and then we ask that you be seated for the program. Following the fashion show, a reception brunch will be served, including wedding cake. The admission cost is $12 and tickets are available at the Freeborn County Historical Museum, 1031 Bridge Ave., and The Constant Reader, 238 S. Broadway Ave., Albert Lea.

As members of the FCHM Program Committee began thinking about this event, I asked Linda Evenson, museum librarian, to see what she could find relating the our theme. She brought in the following article from the &uot;Freeborn County Standard,&uot; August 9, 1883. Unfortunately, I cannot claim a family connection to these people.

&uot;A Tribute of Respect to Mr. And Mrs. Charles Jackson&uot;

&uot;Saturday evening last the many friends of Mr. And Mrs. Chas. Jackson assembled at the residence of the bridegroom’s parents, where the young couple are temporarily staying, and literally loaded them down with choice and substantial gifts, taking them by complete surprise, the affair having been so quietly arranged that they were unaware of the movement until completely surrounded by the smiling faces of their visitors and listening to their congratulations and good wishes. Judge Town made a few happy remarks on behalf of the guests when they settled down to business and passed an enjoyable evening. The following is a list of the presents:

Chamber set &045; Col and Mrs W W Johnson, Col and Mrs Eaton, Capt and Mrs White, Rev and Mrs Abbott, Mr and Mrs Buel, Mr and Mrs O B Fobes, Mr and Mrs C B Kellar, Mr and Mrs McMillen, Mr and Mrs Hibbs, Mr and Mrs H D Brown, Mr and Mrs D G Parker, Mr and Mrs Morgan, Mr and Mrs J H Parker, Judge and Mrs Stacy, Mr and Mrs Forest, Mrs A Hall, Mr and Mrs Parks, Mr and Mrs Prime, Mr and Mrs A M Johnson, Mr and Mrs Naeve, Mr and Mrs Halvorsen, Mr and Mrs Spicer, Mr and Mrs Owen, Mr and Mrs Wanek, Mr and Mrs Barlow, Mr and Mrs Hovland, Mr and Mrs Holland, Mr and Mrs Weed, Mrs Stage, Mrs Foote, Mrs Warner, Mr and Mrs Shaeffer, Messrs Ed Avery, D W Dwyer, Chas Levens, G Gulbrandson, H Segar, C N Ruble, Clint L Luce.

Set china, half-dozen knives, and silver forks and spoons &045; Misses Ella Furlong, Millie Kilmer, Sadie Pratt, Nellie Hazelton, Mary Gahl, Mr and Mrs S S Mallery, Mr and Mrs A H Squier, Mr and Mrs F B Fotes, Mr and Mrs Sergeant, Mr and Mrs Wilkinson, Mr and Mrs Sheehan, Mr and Mrs McMillen, Mr and Mrs Hughes, Dr and Mrs Dodge, Mr and Mrs Opright, Mr and Mrs Cargill, Mr and Mrs Cure, Mr and Mrs W G Kellar, Mr and Mrs C A Pratt, Messrs W Colby, Geo Clark, W W Parker, Ed Gray, J Heising, H Secrest, H Sneve, Ed Crandall, Ole Wolf, G Bleeker, L France, Dr Twitchell, T E Schleuder, H Morgan, Ed Miller, G Heising, T Hanson, L E Dunn.

Set teaspoons &045; Mr and Mrs Ed Wood.

Bride’s cake &045; Will Colby.

Covered glass fruit dish &045; Mr and Mrs Sundby.

Pickle dish &045; Augusta Jackson.

Bed-room set &045; Mr and Mrs W S Jackson.

Wash-board and clothes-line &045; Ed S Gray.

Broom and mop &045; J G Forrest.

Glass set &045; C M Hewitt.

Half-dozen napkins and quart ofjelly &045; Mrs Geo Rutan.

Tablecloth &045; Mrs O N Olberg.

Call bell &045; Mr and Mrs T V Knatvold.

Bolt of muslin &045; Mesdames Tweedy, Watt, Wall, Hayes, Higgins.

Towel and quilt &045; Grandma Bond.

Glass lamp &045; Dr and Mrs Wedge.

Bed spread &045; Mr and Mrs Crane.

Book, &uot;Among the Poets&uot; &045; Mrs Batchelder.

Glass pitcher &045; Mrs Simms.

Egg-beater &045; Bertha May Knatvold.

Pair flat irons &045; Ed Crandall.

$1 &045; Mrs A Hall.

Can of fruit &045; Mrs W J Taylor.

Gold neck-lace, bracelets and ring &045; Bridegroom to the bride.

Holy Bible &045; Bert Jackson.

Pair baby shoes &045; Mr and Mrs H Borleske.

Sack of flour &045; Mr and Mrs J H Holt.&uot;

And the list goes on. To anyone with an interest in local history, the names read like a &uot;Who’s Who&uot; of Freeborn County, and as I was reading this, I couldn’t help but wonder if the forthcoming listing in the newspaper had any effect on the size of the gift.

Oh, and one more thing, I wonder, ‘Who was the bride?’

I hope you will be joining us on April 26. It promises to be a grand affair.

Bev Jackson is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum.