Custom commissions for Conner Prairie

Lady’s 1860s era upper middle class day dress featured in Journey’s film

Last weekend (June 3-4) marked the opening of Conner Prairie’s new interactive exhibit entitled�1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana.�As terms of my contract, I was asked to hold off all discussion of this project until it was unveiled.

Now that the exhibit opening is past, I am free to discuss my participation. In addition to advising on appropriate historical attire for this project, I created a total of 13 garments for this exhibit. Two of the dresses I designed are worn by the key actresses in the�Journey’s film. �The third dress I created was a young girl’s dress for an animated figure playing a violin.�I provided the corsets, chemises, cage crinolines, and petticoats for the both the actresses and the permanent displays as well.


1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana�is based upon�General John Hunt Morgan’s historical cavalry raid on Indiana. It also explores the�roles women and children played and how they supported the troops.�For more information about this exhibit, please visit Conner Prairie’s website. This program runs from�
June 4-October 30, 2011.

1860s era summer day dress for a young lady about the age of 15 also featured in Journey’s film

About Susan

Hi! My name is Susan and I am a historian, seamstress, teacher, mother, and wife. My passion for history has manifested itself in the art of recreating clothing from different periods of time. Growing up in the American South, I am heavily schooled in the art of recreating clothing from the 19th century. After nearly a decade of immersing myself primarily in the Victorian period, I found the need to branch out and explore other periods of time. However, it is my connection with the American South and the clothing of rural America that continues to be the driving force behind my designs. View all posts by Susan