A Cloth Merchant

Our historic field trip to the Western Reserve Historical Society!

Nanette Webb

It feels like we are sneaking into someone’s private closet as the big door is unlocked and the lights switched on. Debbie and I stand in awe to be privy to walk among the rows and rows of hanging racks and shelving that line the costumes and textiles storage room at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Debbie browsing the historic textiles at the Western Reserve Historical Society.   Hanging on these racks are the precious garments once worn by the famous and not-so-famous of Cleveland: President Garfield’s dressing gown, Ellen Wade’s wedding dress, an afternoon dress worn by Elizabeth Mather in the 1930s…as...