A Visit With Mrs. Potts
At the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, Mary Florence Potts' cold-handled sad iron was the toast of the fair. She spent the next two decades touring the country with a promotional lecture. Mrs. Potts will visit your group as a stop on her tour to promote her invention. She will discuss domestic life in the 19th Century, the science and technology behind the development of her invention, and what it means for a woman to hold a US Patent and manage her own affairs. Mrs. Potts can appear at your event in 1885, or if you prefer, in 1893 when she was in Chicago for the Columbian Exposition. Mrs. Potts arrives costumed in the preferred year, with examples of her invention and period-appropriate promotional materials.
Elizabeth "Ellie" Carlson is a museum curator with a specialty in costumes and a background in theatre. She holds a Masters of Historical Administration and Museum Studies from the University of Kansas and has interned at the Smithsonian’s NMAH in the Division of Costume. Ellie believes that properly-costumed living history is the closest we can come to a time machine experience. She is an accomplished dressmaker and has fashioned 19th and 20th century garments for all her presentations. Ellie also holds a US Patent Pending for Green Guestbook.
Ellie Carson is fully booked for the Road Scholars program through 11/1/11. You may apply for another Road Scholar or contact Ellie and try to arrange a program independent of IHC involvement.
