Vintage Clothing Collection

The Pike County Historical Society is noted for its outstanding vintage clothing collection. The collection includes a mid-18^th century gown which was worn to a reception for the Marquis de Lafayette when he toured the area early in the 19^th century, as well as dresses, gowns, shoes, and other items which belonged to Jeannie Gourlay Struthers, the 19^th century actress. Ms. Gourlay-Struthers was on stage at Ford’s Theater the night President Lincoln was assassinated, and later passed the Lincoln flag on to her son, who, in 1954, donated it to the Society.

The Society also has in its collection two fedoras which were owned and worn by William Jennings Bryan, the famed orator, Congressman, and Secretary of State under President Wilson. He is probably best remembered today for his famous "Cross of Gold Speech" in 1896, just before he was nominated to be the Democratic presidential candidate, and for his role as one of the prosecutors during the Scopes Trial, which ended just five days before his death in 1925.