Civil War quilts covered in museum tea | Photos

“Ladies welcome to the Porterville Museum tea. Thank you for coming,” said Susan Uptain, Portrville Historical Museum Treasurer.

40 women attended the full English style tea and historical presentation where Uptain spoke about the fascinating Civil War era quilts they have at the museum and how the symbolism in the quilts tried to help slaves gain their freedom through the Underground Railroad.

There were four large tables set with white tablecloths, colorful elegant tea and table settings, crustless finger sandwiches of pastrami and cheese with horseradish cream, turkey and cheese, and chicken salad. There was an assortment of delightful cookies, two tea pots at every table, beautiful potted plant decorations and pretty flowered napkins. A truly wonderful afternoon treat with a marvelous informative historical presentation.

Uptain thanked all the museum volunteers who helped set up the party, made sandwiches, and prepared tea and she thanked Linda Hall who made fresh sugar cookies. Volunteer and Museum board member Dorothy Wagy was costumed as a Victorian maid and helped visitors with tea, sandwiches or cookies as needed.

Everyone enjoyed catching up with friends and making new ones, and the food and cookies were terrific. Before the quilt presentation there was a raffle drawing where guests won various items such as a crystal candy bowl, crystal candle sticks, a small oriental tea set, a beautiful mature succulent plant, and other decorative items.

Uptain spoke about the historical context of the quilts, as well as their beautiful craftsmanship, and the meaning and symbolism in them was astounding. Many of the women remarked this was something that wasn’t taught in school, but no one wrote about life on the plantations in school books, or mentioned that most of our early presidents were slave owners except John Adams, and John Qincy Adams who were from Massachusetts.

Guests remarked slavery wasn’t  addressed in school studies until fairly recently, or unless you travel to plantations, the south, and see actual quarters where they lived and it’s talked about in historical tours where it was a way of life before, and during the Civil War.

Uptain showed the women a Civil War era Wagon Wheel quilt, a Monkey Wrench Quilt, a Basket Quilt, and an old Log Cabin Quilt, and explained how the symbolism helped the mostly illiterate slaves try to gain their freedom and try to get to get as far north as possible. “You had to prepare. And if you spoke to the blacksmith, who traveled from plantation to plantation, you could find out where to go,” Uptain said.

The Wagon Wheel quilt was a message, and if a slave saw the quilt hanging out to air on a fence that place was a safe place where people would help them travel. 

The 1870 exquisite Basket Quilt is all handmade with tiny stitches, and both sides of the quilt are completed in a rosy pink and cream fabric, with just the cream color on the reverse side. The Log Cabin quilt isn’t shown often, said Uptain. It’s a cherished part of the museum collection and is made from scraps and old ties. It’s at least 150 years old. On her travels, Uptain has attended lectures about slave life when she visited Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello, where he had slaves.

Dale Troy remarked the history about the slaves was never taught in school and she’d never heard about any of it. 

She said blacksmiths and wheelwrights in slave society could travel, unlike other slaves on plantations. And they could help people learn where to travel to escape plantation and landowners.

Museum volunteer Mickey Thomas sat with her adult granddaughter Whitney Barker and they had a great time together. Mickey said the volunteers who organized and hosted the tea work so well together, and they enjoy being together and work as a team.

Raelynne Dyar said it was nice and well organized, and the tables were beautiful. 

Nonnie Austen and Ronda Hauck said the tea was wonderful and they enjoyed the presentation about the quilts, not knowing anything about the signaling for the Underground Railroad.

“The whole presentation was beautiful,” said Nonnie.

Allison Landucci said she knew much of what Uptain said about the quilts, but she appreciated the presentation and didn’t know about the songs like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and the messages they conveyed to the slave audience. “That was new to me. The tea was wonderful and I enjoyed the camaraderie.”

“It’s always a pleasure getting together with friends and acquaintances. It was so warm and kind here at the museum, and the presentation was so informative. I had no idea the symbols meant points of safety for the slaves and the Underground Railroad network,” said Yolanda Dugan.

Sherri Smith said the tea was wonderful as always, the topic discussed was so informative and interesting, and it was something never learned about in school.