Historic Easter Bonnets On Parade at Oswego's Little White School Museum

Oswego’s Little White School Museum kicks off a new seasonal exhibit showcasing haberdashery and millinery fashions enjoyed by our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

“Easter Bonnets on Parade” is open now and will run through the end of April. This charming exhibit features a variety of rare head coverings selected from the museum’s collections just for this special exhibit by museum board member Stephanie Just.

Visitors are invited to view the more than 20 men’s and women’s hats placed throughout the museum, representing various eras from the early 1800s through the 20th Century.

In addition, visitors can view the Margaret Shepard Edwards millinery collection. Margaret “Maggie” Shepard was an Oswego business and property owner well before her marriage in July 1890 to Oswego hardware merchant Tom Edwards. The museum’s permanent millinery exhibit includes several examples of women’s fashions she handcrafted.

A recent addition to the exhibit is a large poster that once hung in Edwards’ shop illustrating the latest millinery fashions for the 1892-1893 season, plus a portrait of her recently donated by the Ament family.

Regular museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. The museum’s archives and research area is open Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. While museum admission is free, donations are always gratefully accepted.

The Little White School Museum is a cooperative project of the Oswegoland Heritage Association and the Oswegoland Park District.

For more information, e-mail to info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org or call 630-554-2999 during regular museum hours.