Costume in Detail: Discover How Clothes Tell the Stories of Madison’s Women

Join the Madison Historical Society on Friday, August 14, 2026, at 6 pm at The Allis Bushnell House for a special presentation, Costume in Detail: Discover How Clothes Tell the Stories of Madison’s Women, presented by Clare Barnett.

Drawing from the Madison Historical Society’s remarkable costume collection, this program will explore the stories of several Madison women whose lives are preserved through the garments and accessories they once owned. Through careful examination of fabrics, construction techniques, alterations, wear patterns, and historical documentation, attendees will discover how clothing can reveal insights into family life, social status, education, work, travel, and community involvement.

Featured objects include dresses worn by prominent Madison residents. Visitors will see a pair of wedding shoes belonging to former Madison High School principal Mary Frances Hull and a mourning bonnet owned by Mary Scranton Evarts, the first librarian of Madison’s E.C. Scranton Memorial Library. The presentation will also highlight the life of physician and surgeon Isadora Murray, whose elegant dress survives as a rare artifact of her extraordinary career and personal story.

$15 Adults / $10 MHS Members. Registration is requested at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/costume-in-detail-discover-how-clothes-tell-the-stories-of-madisons-women