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Quilts of the Oregon Trail
Between 1840 and 1870, thousands of women arrived in the Pacific Northwest by way of the Oregon Trail. This migration or "leave taking" was a life-changing experience, consuming the longest time and widest distance these women would travel to establish homes and farms and help build communities for themselves and their families. This fascinating book presents quilts as documents of history to discover the women and their life stories. The book features 56 quilts made before, during, and after the journey west, as well as new information about the role of women in their communities. Each quilt is shown in full color, along with vintage photos of the makers plus information describing the quilt and the maker's family. Multiple appendices relate trail conditions, an analysis of the quilts, letters and narrations of the Trail experience, and available resource locations. Also includes a glossary, extensive bibliography, maps, and index. A wonderful resource for quilt enthusiasts, descendants, educators, and historians alike.
184 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 13, 2020
I found this book very cleverly done. Admittedly, I do not think the market for a book like this one is a very large one, necessarily. For those who do find the women's history or the history of quilts, or Mormon history to be of interest, though, this book offers a very nuanced and complex appreciation of the role of Mormon women in the establishment and success of the Mormon migration to Utah and surrounding areas from the middle of the 19th century to the early part of the 20th century. By providing a work that looks at the history of quilts, a rather quotidian but treasured aspect of family life, the author finds herself with an entrance into the role of women in Mormon life, which allows her to deal with the question of what life was like for women in migration to Utah and other Mormon settlements, what it was like to be part of complex polygamous families, and what is was like to continually be uprooted by the call to colonize and settle new lands for the benefit of the Mormon community as a whole. The author manages to handle both the material and the cultural history rather deftly.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and it is divided into four parts with a lot of supplementary material that is well worth checking out. The book begins with a preface and introduction that express the author's interest in her topic and her explicitly gendered research focus. After that the author discusses the early efforts of the Mormons to find a place to worship in peace, which led them ultimately to Utah (1). This tale is told through the narratives of women who made quilts, which are also discussed at some length. Similarly, the combination of material culture and personal narratives informs the author's discussion of the period between 1849 and 1855 where Mormons from around the world, especially the United Kingdom, were gathered into Utah, often through handcart companies for those who could not afford oxen and larger wagons (2). Growing tensions in Utah and in the United States as a whole led to efforts to welcome the faithful and encourage the settlement of areas outside of the original Mormon core (3), that eventually led to the larger settlement of the Intermountain West between 1870 and 1900 (4). After a conclusion there are four appendices that analyze the quilts (i), discuss the preservation of these treasures (ii), give a chronology of related Mormon history (iii), and show the pioneer emigration and migration company lists (iv), after which there are notes, a bibliography, acknowledgements, and an index.
One of the marked tendencies of this particular book and the author's approach is to categorize the quilts as well as the period of Mormon settlement in a variety of ways. And while this categorization is undoubtedly helpful, it is intriguing to see the author's desire to categorize in tension with her desire to tell stories as well, and the combination of these tendencies makes this book a fascinating and complex one. Narrative history and statistical history, both of which are in evidence here, do not always sit easily together, and the author to her credit does not seek to avoid the complexity of her instincts both to tell stories as well as to quantify and order and structure the material culture and people in which she is dealing with here. And in truth neither element of her approach, either her statistical interests in figuring out how many of the women who made quilts were part of monogamous families, and how many were part of plural marriages, or her narrative interests in telling the stories of the resourceful and able women who made and owned these quilts and whose lives are often full of repeated efforts to pioneer and explore and cope with the challenges of life, overwhelms the other. And that is for the best.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long and it is divided into four parts with a lot of supplementary material that is well worth checking out. The book begins with a preface and introduction that express the author's interest in her topic and her explicitly gendered research focus. After that the author discusses the early efforts of the Mormons to find a place to worship in peace, which led them ultimately to Utah (1). This tale is told through the narratives of women who made quilts, which are also discussed at some length. Similarly, the combination of material culture and personal narratives informs the author's discussion of the period between 1849 and 1855 where Mormons from around the world, especially the United Kingdom, were gathered into Utah, often through handcart companies for those who could not afford oxen and larger wagons (2). Growing tensions in Utah and in the United States as a whole led to efforts to welcome the faithful and encourage the settlement of areas outside of the original Mormon core (3), that eventually led to the larger settlement of the Intermountain West between 1870 and 1900 (4). After a conclusion there are four appendices that analyze the quilts (i), discuss the preservation of these treasures (ii), give a chronology of related Mormon history (iii), and show the pioneer emigration and migration company lists (iv), after which there are notes, a bibliography, acknowledgements, and an index.
One of the marked tendencies of this particular book and the author's approach is to categorize the quilts as well as the period of Mormon settlement in a variety of ways. And while this categorization is undoubtedly helpful, it is intriguing to see the author's desire to categorize in tension with her desire to tell stories as well, and the combination of these tendencies makes this book a fascinating and complex one. Narrative history and statistical history, both of which are in evidence here, do not always sit easily together, and the author to her credit does not seek to avoid the complexity of her instincts both to tell stories as well as to quantify and order and structure the material culture and people in which she is dealing with here. And in truth neither element of her approach, either her statistical interests in figuring out how many of the women who made quilts were part of monogamous families, and how many were part of plural marriages, or her narrative interests in telling the stories of the resourceful and able women who made and owned these quilts and whose lives are often full of repeated efforts to pioneer and explore and cope with the challenges of life, overwhelms the other. And that is for the best.
July 15, 2009
I found this gem at the library and have totally enjoyed reading it! The back cover has a fantastic quote that sums it up beautifully:
"It has long been assumed that women who do not write leave no record...but there are ways as good as words with which women speak. This book teaches us to "read" the quilts women made." Maureen Ursenbach Beecher
For each of the quilts, you'll find the following and more:
*color pictures of the actual pioneer quilts
*a history of the woman, or women, who created the quilt
*a picture of the quiltmaker
*info about the pattern, techniques, and fabrics used
*notes about how the quilt might have been used
What a refreshingly different approach to early Mormon history!
"It has long been assumed that women who do not write leave no record...but there are ways as good as words with which women speak. This book teaches us to "read" the quilts women made." Maureen Ursenbach Beecher
For each of the quilts, you'll find the following and more:
*color pictures of the actual pioneer quilts
*a history of the woman, or women, who created the quilt
*a picture of the quiltmaker
*info about the pattern, techniques, and fabrics used
*notes about how the quilt might have been used
What a refreshingly different approach to early Mormon history!
February 9, 2020
Very enjoyable read. Love seeing the quilts and learning about the makers.
May 8, 2024
I wish it had a bit more of a biography on each woman but it’s such a great collection
December 28, 2024
Beautiful book that blends true stories with amazing quilts!
October 31, 2021
As a quilter who lives in an area of the country heavily influence by the Mormon religion, this book is wonderful. I love seeing the quilts produced by different groups of people how how they are similar based on shared experience.
February 5, 2008
This is a great historical look at, well, quilts and Mormon women pioneers. The author gives each quilt a full page and then a short bio and history of the woman who made it. Lots of interesting stories about these awesome women.
And a great quote in the introduction by Wallace Stegner from his book 'The Gathering of Zion':
"I shall try to present them in their terms and judge them in mine. That I do not accept the faith that possessed them does not mean I doubt their frequent devotion and heroism in its service. Especially their women. Their women were incredible."
And a great quote in the introduction by Wallace Stegner from his book 'The Gathering of Zion':
"I shall try to present them in their terms and judge them in mine. That I do not accept the faith that possessed them does not mean I doubt their frequent devotion and heroism in its service. Especially their women. Their women were incredible."
April 4, 2014
After reading the author's book on quilts of the Oregon Trail, I discovered she had also written about quilts and women of the Mormon pioneers. Being interested in history and quilting I found both books to be equally interesting. What wonderful quilts these pioneer women created and it's wonderful and amazing that they have survived. The author discusses each quilt and quilt maker and provides thorough historical background.
April 17, 2013
a well-researched look at the quilts that came in via the Oregon Trail either as fabric or as going away gifts. The only complaint would be the writing is a little stiff or pedantic in places, still, the info is an accurate portrait of life on the trail.
December 19, 2013
One of my all time favorite books on historical quilting. It really gives a voice to the women who traveled the trail. I love both the photos of the quilts and the stories that accompany them. It's a gem of a book.
January 26, 2008
i love this book and often find myself picking it up and reading a chapter or two for historical reference.
it was given to me by my mother in law and i love it.
it was given to me by my mother in law and i love it.
October 17, 2008
What a great history of these women. It isn't so much that quilts were made, it's the history these women lived. Loved it!
July 29, 2011
This great book is written by our neighbors daughter and is replete with the quilts and the stories of women who traveled the Oregon Trail
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews