•       

     

  • Historical Clothing Tour & Exhibit at the Conrad Mansion

    • Share:
    Name: Historical Clothing Tour & Exhibit at the Conrad Mansion
    Date: October 26, 2023
    Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM MDT
    Event Description:
    The Conrad Mansion is pleased to announce our 2023 historical clothing exhibit, Conrads at Play: Dress for Sports and Recreation 1880s-1960s:
     
    By the time, the Conrad family moved into this house, recreational activities, and sports were a popular way for people to spend their leisure time. Prior to the 1880’s, Puritanism meant any spare time for most people was spent in pious activities, even though the upper classes participated in leisure activities in their more abundant free time. Several factors sparked the rise of leisure activities for all:
     
    • a belief that the new middle class desk work was making men weak, with sports thought to be a means of self-development.
    • better pay and shorter work weeks, along with the weakening of Puritanism, meant more people could participate in recreational activities during their leisure time; and popular activities, such as croquet, skating, bicycling, and tennis provided a venue for young men and women to court, even sometimes unchaperoned!
     
    Unlike today, where every sports activity requires a complete set of specialized clothing and shoes, most people wore everyday clothing for sports activities until the 1920s.
     
    It was considered unhealthy for women to straddle a horse or bicycle and unladylike for their limbs to be seen. As a result, woman’s sports clothing was almost as restricted as their daily wear. 
     
    ?As sports became more widespread and more women began to compete, less restrictive clothing for women became more acceptable, including the acceptance of pants for women.
     
    Examples of the type of clothing worn for croquet, bicycling, tennis, golf, horseback riding, swimming, and snow sports by both men and women between the 1880’s and 1960’s are on exhibition.
     
    The Conrads at Play historical clothing exhibit will be available to view on tours throughout 2023.
     
    Historical Clothing Tours are led by volunteer curator of textiles, Teresa Knutson and will be held on the last Thursday of the month from June - October. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased by calling the Conrad Mansion at 406-755-2166.
    Location:
    The Conrad Mansion Museum 
    330 Woodland Avenue 
    Kalispell, MT 59901 
    Date/Time Information:
    June 29th 
    July 27th 
    August 31st 
    September 28th 
    October 26th 

    From 5:30pm-7:00pm 
    Contact Information:
    Brit Clark
    Send an Email
    Fees/Admission:
    $25.00 
    Set a Reminder:
    Enter your email address below to receive a reminder message.