Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center : Cotton in Pennsylvania German Life

ca. 1840-1850
Cotton
Worn by Susanna Lutz Dick (1787-1870)
New Berlinville, Berks County
Gift of Amanda Johnson Schweitzer
1923.13.07

The owner of this dress may have considered it a “best” dress given its survival in excellent condition. Construction techniques point to a date between 1840 and 1850; the self-piping at the tops of the sleeves and at the waist are typical of the time period. The round neckline would have been accented with a lace collar. The sleeve seems to be a throwback to a slightly earlier time, so a ca. 1840 date may not be out of the question. The print is a tiny light blue, possibly white circle on the dark indigo blue ground. The hem is lined with a brown print.

There is no evidence that Pennsylvania German rural women preferred cotton over silk for their better dresses– photographic evidence shows both fabrics were used during the mid 19th century. As the decades passed, however, silk became the fabric of choice for good dresses, and cotton was relegated to everyday wear.