Elizabeth Richardson at WKU Library

Barbara Brackman and Deb Rowden drove from Lawrence, Kansas. I drove from Knoxville, Tennessee. We met in Bowling Green at the Western Kentucky University Library. Recently, quilts, correspondence, and scrapbooks belonging to Elizabeth Richardson were donated to the library.

Why are these items so important? Elizabeth Richardson was a quilt historian and lecturer who corresponded with two of the most important people involved in mid 20th century quilt history: Florence Peto and Dr. William R. Dunton Jr. She bought quilts from Florence Peto and accepted historic cloth remnants from Peto who encouraged her to use them for her lectures and to make quilts.

She wrote to Dr. Dunton at the end of his life. He’d written his book Old Quilts, but bemoaned the fact that it had not been well received. He appreciated her interest and encouraged her to expand her quilt career.

> Quilt (Parrots and Pheasants) 1840-1860

Elizabeth Richardson Collection. Western Kentucky University Library

Deb Rowden and I leaf through letters from Dr. Dunton to Elizabeth Richardson

Letters from Dr. Dunton to Elizabeth Richardson (1939-1951)

More later. Thank you, Deb and Barbara! Safe travels!