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For more than 30 years, two quilts commemorating the nation’s Bicentennial were kept inside Village Hall. Renovations to the building left the quilts displaced with nowhere to go but to the Deerfield Area Historical Society who have kept charge of the historic keepsakes since 2007.
On July 6, the Deerfield Area Historical Society will welcome visitors to the Deerfield Historic Village to view the quilts. Along with the viewing, visitors will be able to learn more about the group of Deerfield women who donated their time and effort to create a local snapshot of a significant moment in the nation’s history.
Donna Stupple, a Deerfield resident and member of the historical society said that in 1975, 50 women came together to make a quilt to commemorate the country’s Bicentennial. The group ended up making two quilts. The goal was to auction off the quilts and use the money raised for the restoration of the Caspar Ott House, the oldest building in Lake County.
“That was the plan,” Stupple said. “When the quilts were finished, two women who were kind of spear heading the effort thought they were so special that (the quilts) should stay in Deerfield instead of being auctioned off.”
The quilts remained in the Village Hall from 1976 until the summer of 2007, when the building went under renovation. Members of the historical society stepped up and took the quilts, since there was no room left to display them in the Village Hall.
“We were delighted, because not only are they historical themselves but the squares depict historical landmarks in town that are so special,” Stupple said. “It’s also the historical society’s 40th anniversary year, so we thought it appropriate to focus on the Bicentennial quilts as a way of celebrating the people over the years who have contributed to preserving Deerfield’s history.”
The hand-stitched quilt squares depict designs of all things Deerfield, like Phil Johnson’s restaurant, First Presbyterian Church and the village’s logo, to name a few.
Accompanying the display is a book containing photos of each square and a one-page biography of the quilter, their family history in Deerfield and the story behind their quilt square.
Longtime Deerfield resident Norma Gavin’s square depicts a group of children riding their bikes in different directions, some disobeying stop signs, running behind bikes and even reading a book while riding. Noting that her family consists of “mommy, daddy and three rotten kids” in the description, Gavin wrote that she designed the square because of things she had seen bicyclists do around town.
Another of the quilters, Jane Lange still lives in Deerfield and fondly remembers embroidering a square of the Lange Homestead, located on Elm and Central avenues.
“I remember a lot of good fellowship during the process,” Lange said. “Some of my neighbors contributed too and we all got such a kick out of it when the quilt was put together and our pieces were by each other.”
Lange said she hopes people will come out on July 6 to get a look at the quilts and learn the history and meaning behind each square.
“I think more people will have a chance to see it now,” she said. “I hope it will give some of the youngsters a chance to see the old places and hopefully inspire them to look some of them up.”
Joan Forrest, of Deerfield, designed a Bicentennial square for one of the quilts. Though Forrest said she is disappointed that the quilts are no longer in the village hall, she thinks the open house event is a good idea.
“It should have been done long ago before some of us quilters were gone,” Forrest said. “The quilts were a big deal at the time and a lot of people put in a lot of work and I think they should be honored in any sort of way they can. It’s nice to have that history. As we go along, I’m not sure we’re creating a lot of history, and nobody’s done a quilt since then.”
Stupple said she is trying to contact some of the original quilters so that they may speak at the event to share their stories.
“It was a lot of work…and these women really cared about Deerfield,” she said. “The only reason they did it was they felt they were contributing to something significant and important to the town and its rich history.”
The public is welcome to come celebrate the historical society’s 40th Anniversary year and the Deerfield Bicentennial quilts from 2 to 4 p.m on July 6, at the Deerfield Historic Village, Deerfield Road and Kipling Place. Admission is free. For more information, call the Deerfield Area Historical Society at 847-948-0680.
