Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley donates to Dayton History

Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley donates to Dayton History

In an effort to maintain Dayton’s heritage and share it with the community, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley will donate historic items from its vintage clothing collection to Dayton History this week. The pieces will be stored safely, in climate controlled conditions and in acid-free boxes until such a time in which they may be exhibited.  In the meantime, the pieces will be made available to researchers by appointment.

The clothing items date from the early 1900’s and include:

• A pair of shoes worn by Orville Wright
• Patterson family layette gowns and baby clothing
• Eloise (Rochester) Schenck’s wedding dress, wife of well-known Dayton Architect Harry Schenck of Schenck & Williams Architects
• A two-piece women’s suit, hat and hat box from the Rike-Kumler department store
• Mildred (Readnower) LeMarre’s wedding dress, portrait and desk name plate
• A complete WWII Army nurse’s uniform along with a purse, shoes, photo and Miami Valley Hospital graduation papers and official letters

“These items were donated to Goodwill many years ago and were a part of our vintage clothing collection,” said Amy Luttrell, President, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley.  “We definitely want to keep these items in the Dayton area and allow the public to experience them.  Dayton History is the perfect home for these historical pieces.  We are proud to donate them."

“We are delighted to add these significant artifacts to our historic textile collection, and are pleased to continue our partnership with Goodwill Easter Seals to serve the community,” said Brady Kress, President and CEO of Dayton History.

Dayton History is Montgomery County’s official historical organization.  Consisting of Carillon Historical Park, Hawthorn Hill, Memorial Hall, Old Courthouse, Paul Laurence Dunbar House and Patterson Homestead, Dayton History brings the past to life to understand the present and inspire the future by collecting, preserving, interpreting, presenting and promoting the region’s past.