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<\/a>Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse (Mackinac Island Images<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n Recently I worked on a project with Craig Wilson, the Museum Historian at Mackinac State Parks in northern\u00a0 Michigan. You may have heard of Mackinac Island; it\u2019s a place where automobiles were banned almost as soon as they were invented. There are still no automobiles on the island today. People get around on foot, on bicycles, or by horse-drawn conveyances. You may have seen bits of Mackinac Island, including the historic Grand Hotel, if you watched the romantic film \u201cSomewhere in Time.\u201d Mackinac City is on the mainland, one of six local park sites.<\/p>\n Mackinac Island, Michigan in summer (Mackinac Island Images<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n In the wintertime the region is cold and covered with snow. But starting in early May, the summer visitors begin to arrive. Mackinac State Park welcomes them with historic sites from several eras, including the 1889 lighthouse.<\/p>\n Mackinac State Park Lighthouse<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what their website tells us about the history: The lighthouse is located in Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is closed in the winter and will reopen May 5, 2014.”<\/p>\n Problems in clothing the interpreters<\/strong><\/p>\n Craig Wilson wanted to provide something that was both warm and authentic for the primary interpreter during the cool spring and fall days. The women interpretive guides usually wear skirts and shirtwaists from the era of 1910 to 1915, mostly in neutral summer colors. Some days, those cotton blouses just aren\u2019t enough protection! Lavender\u2019s Green worked with Craig to research and create a jacket that was both warm and authentic.<\/p>\n Designing the jacket<\/strong><\/p>\n Fashions were changing rapidly during the ‘teens, the time represented at the lighthouse. A review of fashion plates and photos shows a wide range of styles that might have been worn in the big cities and by the wealthy vacationers at Mackinac Island.<\/p>\n October 1916 Russell’s Standard Fashions, reprint published by Dover Press<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Dorothy Minto, photographed in 1912 by Bassino<\/p><\/div>\n However, a lighthouse keeper was not among the well-to-do classes, and the lighthouse keeper\u2019s wife or daughter would probably not wear a high-fashion suit on her daily rounds. Instead, we looked to examples provided in contemporary paintings. These were scenes from everyday life, and they helped us to see what a woman might have thrown over her clothes in her home or garden.<\/p>\n Josephine Knitting by Amer Edmund Tarbell (American painter, 1862 – 1938) shows a simple separates look for at-home wear.<\/p><\/div>\n Another classic jacket is pictured in the 1915 painting, Portrait of E N Glebova by Russian painter Pavel Filonov.<\/p><\/div>\n A slightly later painting, The Garden Bench, painted in 1920 by American Rae Sloan Bredin, shows a similar jacket in a summer setting.<\/p><\/div>\n We chose this basic style, with a high waisted belt and some flare over the hips, as a typical style of the time. We had measurements for Helen, one of the long-term interpretive staffers. I started with a pattern from Folkwear Patterns, which is now out of print. Folkwear\u2019s \u201cEquestriennes Riding Habit,\u201d (copyright 1994) was a copy of a three-piece 1920 linen riding habit, unlined. I began with that jacket, simplified the pockets, and added a silk lining.<\/p>\n Fabric and color choices<\/b><\/p>\n Craig wanted the new jacket to be a dark color that would coordinate with the existing wardrobe at the park. Skirts in the collection were tan, black and other neutral shades. I selected a nautical blue wool flannel based on its warmth and the beautiful color. I was able to discover a 1907 painting that showed that exact shade being worn in a casual, watery summertime setting.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n“A point in the storm and a guiding beacon since 1889, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse helped passing ships navigate through the treacherous waters of the Straits of Mackinac. There\u2019s just as much to see from the top of the tower as inside the original buildings. Authentically restored quarters and exhibits, including the original lens and an audiovisual program, Shipwrecks of the Straits, make this \u201cCastle of the Straits\u201d a true gem of the Great Lakes.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>