A stitch in time: Holly Historical Society to hold quilt exhibit

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Hadley House Museum

HOLLY, Michigan – A piece of Holly’s rich history will be on display later this month, when the Holly Historical Society hosts a free quilt exhibit from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 at the Hadley House Museum, 306 S. Saginaw St.

While the exhibit promises to show a wide assortment of antique, old and new quilt designs, perhaps the highlight of the exhibit is the 35-year-old bicentennial quilt, made in 1975 by members of the then Northwest Oakland County Historical Society.

“The work on the 8- by 6 1/2 –foot quilt was a community effort to raise money for renovation projects for the historical museum and also in honor of our nation’s 200th birthday,” said Susane Les, secretary for the Holly Historical Society. “By 1972, the society had saved enough money to purchase what became known as the Patterson House on East Maple Street, but the building needed a lot of updating.” Les said the collection of Patterson House artifacts was eventually moved to the Hadley House Museum in 1986.

Holly Historical Society’s founding member Lois Caryl said at the time the quilt was made, the historical society consisted of over 80 members. Caryl said the organization divided into two groups with members of the evening group or “Americana” studying antiques and their preservation, and the afternoon or “Heritage” group learning about the history.

“The quilt raffle fundraiser was Jan Parcell’s idea,” Caryl said. “Ada Long put the pieces together and did most of the work.”  Caryl said Long’s intricate corner blocks are a “work of art.”

Les said two identical quilts were made – one for the museum to display, and the other to be raffled off. “For $1, you could sign your name to a quilt square,” Les said. “There were squares for people who came into the Post Office and others placed in businesses around town.”

Fellow member Peg Thorsby remembers going around to various organizations in town as well as surrounding areas, collecting signatures. “Local buildings that were meaningful to us were featured in specially pieced and appliquéd squares,” she said. “Jan Parcell inspired everyone to get going on the project, and Ada Long was a wonderful person with whom to work.”

“Each member was given a square to embroider after it was filled, and Gladys MacArthur was in charge of the center of the embellished needlework design made up of the four northwest Oakland County townships, Holly, Rose, Springfield and Groveland,” said Donna Sperry, Holly Historical Society Board member.

“Everyone that could embroider shared in the effort and it almost took us a year to complete,” said Caryl, who recalled embroidering names onto the quilt on a road trip to Texas.

All of the women agreed that they wish they knew where the raffled quilt is today. “The lady who won it was not from Holly – it was someone from southern Oakland County.”

For more information on the quilt exhibit, contact Linda Smith at (248) 634-7946 or Nancy Grimmer at (248) 625-4947.