Cape Blanco 1905 Wedding Dress

Across the bay from Cape Blanco Lighthouse is the Coast Guard Barracks Museum. It's kind of small, with a curious collection of items ranging from 1900 to the 1960's.

When I first saw the dress on display I was reminded of my Mother's Mother. She grew up in Astoria, where the Columbia River spills into the Pacific, and she was born in 1909.

Apparently, the person for whom this dress was made had an 18 inch waist. I'm going to guess that the person who made the accompanying placard does not.








I'm not entirely sure why this wedding gown is in the collection, and can only conclude that this is what a Coast Guard wife would have been married in in 1905. What prompted me to photograph it were the rows and rows of buttons, the embroidery/tatting and the simplicity of the cut of the jacket and dress.

The lighting conditions were not optimal for photography and I ended up with a reflection of myself in the photo.