The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This exhibition honors that milestone with a collection of 19th-century handwoven bed coverlets that capture the story of a developing nation, spanning seventy years of tumultuous history and covering a geographic range from the Atlantic Ocean to west of the Mississippi.

This collection of coverlets from 16 states, ranging from 1811 Vermont to 1881 Missouri, shows tremendous variation in color, pattern, and even fringe style.

December 12, 1787 
2nd state

Pennsylvania German weaving traditions & folk-art designs dominate the Pennsylvania coverlet scene. Look for tulips, roses, ‘distelfink’ birds, and bright horizontal color stripes in their coverlets. The predominant weave structure, known as tied beiderwand, relates to a style of weaving used to make bed curtains in northern Germany and Denmark. Hundreds of handweavers wove in Pennsylvania from around 1830 through the 1850s. In later decades, textile factories in eastern Pennsylvania churned out countless power-woven coverlets using cheaper materials and faster methods. 

The nation’s centennial saw a resurgence of interest in commemorative coverlets, which were mass produced in the very factories that had put most handweavers out of business by this time. They were made using cheaper materials and methods than the hand-woven coverlets of earlier generations.

Inscribed: CENTENNIAL (top); MEMORIAL HALL (bottom); 1776-1876 (sides, partially cut off)

Gift of Kent & Vicki Ackerman, 2023.5.001

Fehr is listed as a coverlet weaver in the 1850 and 1860 Pennsylvania Census. Center medallion patterns like this one, with bold horizontal color stripes, are characteristic of Pennsylvania coverlets produced during this mid-century period.

Inscribed: ABRAHAM FEHR MANUFACTORER EMAUS LEHIGH COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA

Gift of the McCarl Foundation, 2024.1.057

Musselman produced coverlets for over twenty years, beginning in 1837. Roosters, tulips, and stars are common motifs in Pennsylvania Dutch coverlets.

Inscribed: S.B. MUSSELMAN COVERLEt WEAVER MILFORD BUCKS CO No 144 (left); THIS COVERLEt BELONGS TO ME MARIA HELLER 1840 (right); PENSYLVAN (border)

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.257

The birds in this crib-size coverlet’s borders are distelfinks, a Pennsylvania-German symbol of good luck and the most common of all Pennsylvania borders.

Inscribed: JOHN HAMELTON JACKSON T NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

P.A.N 1838

Private collection

Virginia, 10th state
June 25, 1788

West Virginia, 35th state
June 20, 1863

Coverlet weaving took place in two main areas of modern-day West Virginia.  Wheeling coverlets made by David Kennedy are multi-colored doubleweave, resembling a style popular in neighboring Ohio. Those made in the eastern panhandle of WV are tied beiderwand, sharing more characteristics with Maryland coverlets. Many of these use the common Lilies of France pattern.

Martinsburg was located in Virginia when William Bauers wove this coverlet. Control of Berkeley County changed hands several times during the Civil War, and in 1863 it permanently became part of the newly-formed state of West Virginia. Bauers had been weaving since at least 1850, long before the split occurred.

Inscribed: WILLIAM BAUER’S MARTINSBURG BERKELEY COUNTY VIRGINIA

Gift of the McCarl Foundation, 2024.1.101

April 28, 1788
7th State of the Union

Maryland coverlets share many features with Pennsylvania coverlets, especially those of York County. Look for tulips, roses, and tied beiderwand in abundance. 

These unsigned coverlets have been attributed to Frederick Uber, who advertised in 1846 that he was taking over the business of his father-in-law, Andrew Corrick. Corrick signed his coverlets by name, but they are otherwise nearly identical.

Inscribed: MIDDLETOWN FRED K. COUNTY MARYLAND

Gift of the McCarl Foundation, 2024.1.008

Gernand began his weaving career in Graceham, Frederick County. In 1855, he bought out the weaving equipment and patterns of Pennsylvania weaver Andrew Kump, who had an established customer base in Carroll County.

Inscribed: W. H. GERNAND DAMASK COVERLET MANUFACTURER WESTMINSTER CARROLL COUNTY MD 1870; D. P. WOLF (left only, over-dyed)

Transfer from the Univ. of Maryland, 2014.1.034

March 1, 1803
17th State of the Union

In many ways, Ohio is the heartland of coverlet production, with wide-ranging styles and patterns that cannot be captured by a simple formula.  Doubleweave (whether monochrome or multi-colored) and tied beiderwand in all color schemes are equally common.

The state of Ohio was home to many German-born weavers like Klein, whose colors, patterns, and weaving techniques were similar to those used in eastern Pennsylvania.

Inscribed: THE STATE OF OHIO MONTGOMERY COUNTY 1844 M. KLEIN; LIBERTY (borders)

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.179

Several Ohio weavers included moralistic sayings in their cornerblocks praising thrift, virtue, and the Golden Rule. This one derives from a pastoral drama by the English poet Hannah More, first published in 1773.

Inscribed: If good we plant not, vice will fill the place; And rankest weeds the richest soils deface. Wove by J HART Wilmington Clinton County OHIO 1851

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.092

July 26, 1788
11th State of the Union

Most coverlets made in New York State are doubleweave in monochrome blue or red with white. Patriotic slogans and imagery are common here, including the famous “Agriculture & Manufactures are the foundation of our Independence.” Several areas in New York, such as Long Island, have their own unique styles and patterns. Although far less common than doubleweave, the Summer & Winter weave structure is a New York specialty, and true Beiderwand coverlets were also manufactured in central and western New York.

Coverlets from New York frequently bear patriotic slogans and imagery.

Inscribed: 1845 UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL; WASHINGTON; J+CUNNINGHAM WEAVER N. HARTFOR ONEIDA Co. N. YORK; UNDER THIS WE PROSPER (border)

Transfer from the Hawthorne Collection, American Textile History Museum, 2017.2.046

The corner block represents the New York State coat of arms, which was formally adopted in 1778. The motto ‘Excelsior’ is Latin for ‘Higher,’ and the two female figures represent Liberty and Justice.

Inscribed: EXCELSIOR; J.CUNNINGHAM WEAVER; E. COLGROVE

Gift of the McCarl Foundation, 2024.1.012

This weave structure is largely unique to New York, especially for figured & fancy coverlets. A horizontal seam disrupts the pattern in the middle of this coverlet and suggests that it has been shortened.

Inscribed: AB EAGLE HARBOR ORLEANS COUNTY N.Y. 1835

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.019

December 18, 1787
3rd State of the Union

New Jersey weavers produced several distinct coverlet styles. Weavers in Bergen County, in the northern part of the state, used a unique set of patterns and recurring motifs. Some of these coverlets have tufted fringe, and some combine light and dark blue wool. Coverlets from areas further south in the state share features with New York coverlets: they are doubleweave in monochrome blue/red and white, often with patriotic borders declaring “Liberty” or “Union.”

The pattern, color scheme, tufted fringe, and use of two different cornerblocks are all characteristic of coverlets from Bergen County, which were woven by several different weavers. Without a signature, it is difficult to identify which one of them made this coverlet.

Inscribed: LYDIA HARING 1840

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.291

Patriotic borders declaring ‘Liberty’ or ‘Union’ are common in New Jersey coverlets, as are bold fringe styles.

Inscribed: M. ANDREWS MILLSTONE NJ 1838 G.W.V.D.; LIBERTY (borders)

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.189

June 21, 1788
9th State of the Union

A unique style of handwoven coverlet predominated in certain parts of New Hampshire and Maine, known as 'Bolton'-style (after a place in England) or by the Acadian French term 'boutonne.'  The technique involves manually pulling up small loops of weft yarn to create textured bumps or tufts on the surface of the fabric. Hannah Leathers Wilson famously numbered the coverlets that she made with this technique; the highest known number is 184.

The pattern is created by pulling small loops of wool yarn up through the warp threads on the loom, a laborious manual process. Wilson numbered all of her coverlets; the highest known number is 184.

Inscribed: Liberty N Whitehouse no 47 1833

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.117

March 4, 1791
14th State of the Union

Figured & Fancy coverlets were not widely manufactured in New England. The Vermont coverlet in "States of the Union" has a simpler geometric pattern instead, characteristic of traditional multishaft looms without a mechanical patterning device such as a jacquard machine or a barrel loom. 

Poultney is on the New York border. This coverlet’s simple geometric pattern was woven before the American debut of the barrel loom and the jacquard machine, which made it possible for weavers across the country to produce ornate designs on a larger scale.

Embroidered: Parley Hosford Poultney Feb 1811

Collection of Riene Wells & Dean Herriges, CDP 25.5.029

January 26, 1837
26th State of the Union

Michigan coverlet weavers were all newcomers who had started their careers elsewhere before relocating to the Great Lakes State. Enos Michael first wove coverlets in Indiana; Philip Allabach had previously woven in Pennsylvania; William Wolf was from a family of Ohio coverlet weavers; Abram Van Doren and his brothers originally wove coverlets in New Jersey.  Each weaver brought his own style of weaving with him.

Like other Michigan weavers, Van Doren was a newcomer to the area who brought his weaving expertise with him from another region. The Van Doren family originally produced coverlets in New Jersey.

Inscribed: ELECTA MCDONALD A. W. VAN DOREN WEAVER AVON 1849; MICHIGAN (borders)

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.016

Michael also wove coverlets in Fremont, Indiana, which is less than ten miles from Kinderhook on the other side of the Indiana-Michigan border.

Inscribed: ENOS MICHAEL KINDERHOOK BRANCH COUNTY MICH 1870 LA LOCKWOOD

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.153

December 11, 1816
19th State of the Union

Indiana’s professional weavers of the 1840’s came from Germany, Scotland, Ireland, England, or from New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  Most, if not all, were thoroughly trained weavers before reaching Indiana. Although some Indiana coverlets are no different from those woven elsewhere, dozens of patterns are completely unique to the Hoosier state, many of exceptional intricacy and detail.  Monochrome and multi-colored doubleweaves are most paradigmatic, though plenty of Indiana weavers used the tied beiderwand weave structure as well.

Many Indiana weavers used a trademark in the cornerblock rather than signing their coverlets by name. The star logo used here is reminiscent of the state flag of Indiana.

Inscribed: 1852

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.012

This cornerblock has traditionally been attributed to Samuel Graham, who is listed in the 1850 Indiana Census as a 46-year-old weaver in New Castle. The ornate style and borders, featuring birds-of-paradise and catalpa flowers, make this a classic Indiana coverlet.

Inscribed: NEWCASTLE HENRY COUNTY INDIANA 1855

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.013

When Wilson moved from Kentucky to Indiana, rather than designing a new cornerblock, he simply crossed out “Kentucky” on the side and added “Indiana” on the bottom.

Inscribed: MADE BY H. WILSON [KENTUCKY 1849] INDIANA H 1851 W. M. RODGER

Kitty Bell and Ron Walter Collection, CDP 25.3.513

June 1, 1792
15th State of the Union

Coverlets survive from only four Kentucky weavers, three of whom also produced coverlets in other states as well. Brothers Frederick A. Kean and Carl Lewis Kean both wove in Louisville. Hugh Wilson worked nearby in Shelbyville. Dennis Cosley signed a number of his coverlets “KY,” though his exact location in Kentucky is not clear. All of their coverlets are tied beiderwand in terms of weave structure, but there is little to distinguish Kentucky coverlets from those of other states. If anything, they exemplify the migratory tendencies of weavers, who often moved in search of new markets.

Wilson’s eleven children were born in Kentucky before he relocated to Indiana around 1850.

Inscribed: MADE BY H. WILSON KENTUCKY 1849

Collection of Jeff & Carolyn Payne, CDP 24.1.032

Cosley began to weave in Pennsylvania but spent the bulk of his weaving career in Greene County, Ohio before relocating to Kentucky. Such a trajectory is common among coverlet weavers, which explains why the distinctions between regional styles are frequently blurred.

Inscribed: MADE BY D. COSLEY KY 1861

Collection of John & Janet Simmermaker, CDP 25.8.062

June 1, 1796
16th State of the Union

No known professional handweavers made coverlets in Tennessee, but power-woven coverlets were produced in Blount County, TN at the Maryville Woolen Mill, which operated from 1874 to 1906. The mill ran day and night with 44 steam and water powered looms consuming hundreds of pounds of wool daily. Its 60 workers produced textiles that included coverlets, denim, flannels, blankets, and yarn.  All coverlets woven at M. W. M. used the same pattern.

The stylized initials M. W. M. in the borders of this coverlet stand for Maryville Woolen Mill, which operated from 1874 to 1906 in Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee. The factory used both steam and water power to manufacture a variety of textiles including blankets, flannels, jeans, and yarns in addition to coverlets.

Tied beiderwand, seamless, 81 × 71 in.

Undyed cotton with olive green wool

Inscribed: M.W.M TENN.

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.118

December 3, 1818
21st State of the Union

Eighteen weavers, all ethnically German, produced figured & fancy coverlets in Illinois from 1841 until after 1871. Many were recent immigrants to the United States, while others left homes and careers in the eastern U.S. Their coverlets mostly mimic the styles and patterns of Germanic weavers in Pennsylvania and Ohio. By the 1840s, these states were saturated with skilled coverlet weavers, and the craft was threatened by competition with industrialized factories utilizing water- and steam-powered looms. Illinois was much less densely populated and offered attractive possibilities for handweavers considering the move westward. 

The double rose centerfield pattern is the single most common of all coverlet patterns, used in every state where coverlets were made. An all-wool coverlet in this weave structure, on the other hand, is a rarity.

Inscribed: MADE BY P. SEEWALD RIDGE PRAIRIE ST. CLAIR COUNTY ILLINOIS 1846

Collection of John & Janet Simmermaker, CDP 25.8.273

William and his nephew, Christian Fasig, both wove coverlets in Ohio before moving westward to establish themselves in Illinois.

Inscribed: MADE BY W. FASIG US CLARK CO. ILL-S 1854

Gift of Foster & Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.014

December 28, 1846
29th State of the Union

Iowa coverlet weavers were few in number. Daniel Stephenson was easily the most prolific.  Coverlets made by at least three other weavers survive, one each made in Tipton, Davenport, and Cedar Rapids.

Few coverlet weavers worked in Iowa, and Stephenson is the only one whose coverlets survive in numbers.

Inscribed: MADE BY D. STEPHENSON FAIRFIELD JEFFERSON CO IOWA 1869

Gift of Foster and Muriel McCarl, 2008.1.036

August 10, 1821
24th State of the Union

Coverlet weaving was not a widespread industry in Missouri. The two major weavers are both represented here: Henry Adolf, who wove in the southwest region of the state, and John Schneider, who wove in the vicinity of St. Louis in the east.  Although working on opposite sides of the state, both weavers produced coverlets of a similar style in boldly colored doubleweave.

Schneider immigrated from Germany in 1839 with a large family group. Arriving in New Orleans, they traveled up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to settle in Hamburg.

Inscribed: MADE BY JOHN. E. SCHNEIDER HAMBURG. ST. CHARLES CO. MO. 1871

Kitty Bell & Ron Walter Collection, CDP 25.3.544

Adolph was one of the most wide-ranging of coverlet weavers, moving from Indiana to Missouri to Kansas and back again to Missouri where he ended his career.

Inscribed: MADE BY H. ADOLPH WALNUTGROV MO 1881

Collection of Jeff & Carolyn Payne, CDP 24.1.073

January 29, 1861
34th State of the Union

Henry Adolf, originally of Indiana, is the only known weaver of figured & fancy coverlets who worked in Kansas.  He wove in a number of locations, traveling from Indiana to Missouri to Kansas (passing through Iowa on the way, though it is not known whether or not he produced coverlets there) before settling down back in Missouri for the end of his weaving career.  His coverlets from Kansas and Missouri are multi-colored doubleweaves in Indiana-style patterns.

This coverlet was woven in the same year as the power-woven Centennial coverlet at the beginning of the tour. On the Kansas frontier, Adolph was insulated from direct competition with mass-produced factory textiles and managed to continue supporting himself as a skilled handweaver to a relatively late date.

Inscribed: MADE BY H. ADOLPH CLINTON CO. KANSAS 1876

Collection of the National Museum of the American Coverlet

Jacquard looms were not used to make figured & fancy coverlets everywhere in the United States. Here are some other popular types of bedcovers.

Overshot coverlets were made all over America and resurged in popularity in the early 1900’s. Since colonial times, overshot enabled weavers to create decorative geometric patterns on simple looms.

Counterpanes are highly textured woven bedcovers made entirely of white cotton. Relatively lightweight, they were especially popular in the South.

Quilts consist of two layers of pre-woven fabric sewn together with batting in between.  They boomed in popularity after the Civil War as factory-woven cotton fabrics became cheap and readily available.