Creation Date

circa 1960 – 1989

Description

Bonnet: Green with multi-color flower and paisley print cotton bonnet. The botton is is green with a pink, blue, yellow, and white flowers and paisley print. The brim with the ruffle is 8 1/2" deep. The back is aproximately 5 3/4" deep. There is a 2 3/4" deep ruffle along the edge of the brim. Where the ruffle attaches to the brim is 3/16" wide pink wavy rick rack. The brim is 7 1/2" without the ruffle and is thicker and is double layered with the same flower and paisley print cotton on the inside. The back of the bonnet is gathered where it attaches to the brim. There is a 2 3/4" long nape in the back. There is elastic at the top of the nape. There are two ties that are approximately 2 5/8" wide x 22 1/2" long. The ties are folded in half. The ends of the ties are diagonal. On the inside back of the brim on the right is an off white label with brown "Breithaupt's (in cursive)/Shankstowne R (in circle)/Fashions (in cursive). Condition - There are a few light brown spots on the back. There are large light brown areas on the ties.

Belonged to Loretta Bell or Helen Bell (likely Helen's due to date of bonnet). Helen Bell was the daughter of Daniel (1875 -1957) and Loretta Bell (1881-1952). They farmed in the Belle Creek and Pine Island areas and Daniel operated a dray line in Goodhue. They married in 1906 and moved to Red Wing in 1920. Helen Bell was born in 1920 in Goodhue. She graduated from Red Wing High School in 1938 and attended St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul. She did post-graduate work in obstetrics in New Jersey and then returned to the University of Minnesota to receive her degree in Bachelor of Science in nursing education. She taught at St. Catherine's College in St. Paul in three and four year nursing programs. In 1956 she returned to Red Wing to become the director of the School of Practial Nursing at the Red Wing Vocational-Technical Institute until she retired in 1982.