Wyandotte: The Wyandotte Historical Museum celebrated Valentine’s Day with a unique exhibition featuring eight vintage wedding dresses from the early 1900s to the 1970s. Accompanied by live piano music, the event attracted public interest and descendants of brides who wore the gowns on display.
On 7 and 8 February, the Wyandotte Historical Museum hosted a special exhibition celebrating Valentine’s Day, showcasing eight vintage wedding dresses at the Ford-MacNichols House, located at 2610 Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte. The exhibition featured gowns spanning from the early 1900s to the 1970s, drawing a connection to the romance associated with the holiday.
The dresses were displayed prominently in the parlor, dining room, and an upstairs bedroom of the house. In tandem with the visual presentation, melodic live piano music wafted through the music room, accompanied by a flickering fire in the foyer that added to the welcoming atmosphere. Traditional vintage Valentine cards were also exhibited in a dedicated showcase, further enhancing the festive feel of the event.
The museum’s director, Jesse Rose, highlighted that the exhibition was inspired by the romantic theme of Valentine’s Day. “A few years back, we started doing the wedding dresses on Valentine’s Day,” he commented. Rose noted that while summer—especially June—is often characterised as the peak wedding month, the timing of this event made for a “natural coincidence” with Valentine’s Day.
In discussing the extensive collection, Rose revealed that the museum possesses wedding gowns dating as far back as the 1870s. However, many of these earlier gowns are now too fragile for display due to deterioration over time. “As you can imagine, most of those are just too vulnerable to the elements, and they’ve become tattered and brittle,” he explained.
The exhibition drew interest not only from the general public but particularly from descendants of brides who once wore these gowns. Rose noted, “Because a lot of these were brides from Wyandotte, we get a lot of their descendants that come in. They love it and they will share remembrances.”
Adding to the overall ambiance of the event, Bruce Sininger, a docent from Lincoln Park, provided live piano entertainment. He performed a selection of music from the 1930s to 1950s, including iconic love songs such as “Isn’t it Romantic” and “Someone to Watch Over Me” from renowned composers Richard Rodgers and George Gershwin. Sininger, who has been playing piano since the age of five, remarked on the enjoyment these timeless pieces bring to attendees.
For those seeking further information about the Wyandotte Historical Museum and future events, interested individuals can visit the museum’s website or its Facebook page.
Source: Noah Wire Services
