Surratt House Booklet

[PaigeBooth]

Yesterday, I received a beautiful copy of the Surratt House's "Christmas of Yesteryear" booklet.

This booklet is filled with excellent information and fascinating details. One section covers Christmas at the White House. It goes on to talk about how Tad Lincoln gathered the homeless and brought them home to the White House for turkey dinners; totally interesting!

The booklet is very informative regarding Christmas traditions for slaves and plantation families. It also shows the famous Saint Nick drawings done by none other than Thomas Nast; Laurie put together a beautiful arrangement of this marvelous artwork in her booklet.

Another highlight is Surratt House's "All Dolled Up Exhibit." The booklet talks about the Victorian-era dolls, their clothes, hairstyles, etc. I was especially interested by the hairstyles. Some of the dolls reflect Dolley Madison's curly hairstyle, while others resemble Mary Lincoln's pulled back hairstyle.

Thank you Laurie for sending this special booklet to me. This is truly a keepsake piece!

[L Verge]

I must confess that this beautiful booklet was a surprise to me! The first thirty pages of text have been my creative writing over the past thirty years as we created take-home lessons for our Christmas visitors. The graphics in those days were real cut-and-paste. I would copy photos out of books on a Xerox machine, cut them out with scissors, and paste them on the pages with old-fashioned glue sticks, and then send it off to the printer. No color and nothing fancy.

This year, two of my staff members, Susan Proctor and Julie Cowdery (our education coordinators), totally surprised me by using their computer skills to update this booklet into the colorful masterpiece that it is now. Susan also added the history of the dolls that two of our volunteers put on display throughout the entire house. As I noted before, we had dolls in every room except the tavern and the public bathrooms. I did not see the finished product until it came back from the printer. It is absolutely amazing what talented people and computers can do to bring history alive.

Thank you, Paige, for the compliments.

[RJNorton]

Wonderful, Laurie! There are photos of the beautiful display at Surratt House here and here.

[Thomas Kearney]

Thanks for the share of my photos Roger! The book is very good also!

[BettyO]

This is really beautiful and professionally done, Laurie! Thanks ever so very much - wonderful! Lots of good information and history which we've come to expect from Surratt House!

[L Verge]

I have to share the history of the single doll in the showcase in one of the photos (in Thomas's set, she's the photo just to the right of one featuring The Full Story sign about the exhibit that is semi-permanent in one room. We call this Rose Percy's cousin.

The real Rose Percy doll stands 23" high and is made from English poured wax. She is dressed in a period skating outfit. Rose was probably the best-known doll of her period. She was originally dressed and donated by the Ogden's Girls School in New York to be raffled off at the U.S. Sanitation Fair in April of 1864 to raise money to support Union soldiers. She was raffled off for $1200 and then donated back to be raffled again. Again, she raised another $1200. She finally went home with Dr. Peters, the school's physician, who gave it to his daughter Bertha.

Bertha eventually donated her to the American Red Cross Museum in Washington, D.C. in 1920. In 2009, the Red Cross raffled her again to make money for Hurricane Katrina victims. She raised more than $44,000 dollars from an anonymous donor (Barbra Streisand). Ms. Streisand donated her to the Carmel Doll Shop in California, but Rose continues to travel to fundraising benefits for veterans' charities 150 years later. While her cousin was on display at Surratt House, we put out a solicitation basket asking for donations for a local such group.

[Eva Elisabeth]

I absolutely second the others - it's a beautifully done booklet, and a most interesting and informative read!

[Susan Higginbotham]

Is this being sent to all members, or is it by request?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Susan, if you don't have it yet I recommend you to ask for the Victorian mourning booklet, too!

[Susan Higginbotham]

Susan, if you don't have it yet I recommend you to ask for the Victorian mourning booklet, too!

I have the mourning one. Excellent!

[L Verge]

Is this being sent to all members, or is it by request?

It is by request. However, one of my staff members will be working tomorrow. She will be slapping address labels on 1000+ January Couriers, so I will email her to send your Courier and one of the booklets in a large envelope to you.

[Susan Higginbotham]

Is this being sent to all members, or is it by request?

It is by request. However, one of my staff members will be working tomorrow. She will be slapping address labels on 1000+ January Couriers, so I will email her to send your Courier and one of the booklets in a large envelope to you.

Thanks!

[Eva Elisabeth]

I absolutely second the others - it's a beautifully done booklet, and a most interesting and informative read!

I didn't realize there is an entirely new one done each year (thought an updated of a "general" edition was referred to) until receiving it today - thank you so much, Laurie, it's wonderful (again).

[L Verge]

Actually, the first thirty pages date back about 30-35 year when I first composed it. We have added onto it each year, with the dolls being the highlight this year. Our ability to do outstanding graphics and print in color has greatly added to its attraction. Other than our salaries, there is no cost to the museum because our government parent has its own print shop and greatly supports our endeavors.

[Susan Higginbotham]

Got mine today, thanks! Haven't had much of a chance to look at it, but it looks great!