Winters Heritage House Museum

Member N e w s l e t t e r
Published quarterly by the Elizabethtown Preservation Associates, Inc. Winter 2017

Inside—
 Dear Elizabeth –The History of Underwear!
 Winter Activities!
 Fun Findings in the Seibert Library!
 Quilt Raffle update!

(717) 367-4672
Permit No. 1
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Elizabethtown, PA
47 East High St.,
Non-profit Org.
P.O. Box 14
US Postage Paid Return Service Requested
Winters Heritage House Museum

Dear Elizabeth
Our Historic Advice Column
The spirit of our town founder, Elizabeth
Hughes, residing here from 1750 to
1760, offers her advice to our generation.
If you have any advice needs from or a
history question for Elizabeth, please
send them to Dear Elizabeth, c/o Winters
Heritage House Museum email;
Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.org
Dear Elizabeth,
I was interested in your story about
public restrooms a few newsletters
past, and am curious now to know
more about undergarments. I was a bit
surprised that the colonials did not
wear underwear, as we know it today.
Apparently you have been hovering
over Elizabethtown for a long time,
what do you know about the evolution perhaps the first undergarment
of underwear?
Briefly Befuddled
Dear Brief
My, I am always impressed at how
straight forward your generation is. Is
there no subject too delicate for such
public discourse? I suppose I will
dedicate my entire space here, today, to
this subject as I have been engulfed with
letters such as yours. Everyone wanting
to know about underwear makes my poor
ghostly head spin!
First I will note that in my era (1760s)
the word “underwear” referred simply to
undergarments – those items worn under
the outer garments. There were no
panties or bras or boxers or “tighty
whities”, yet to speak of. Undergarments
included a lady’s “Chemise” or “Gown,”
which was worn for sleeping and also as
the initial layer of day clothing. Also
though commonly a fashion piece, these
were worn mainly by higher society.
Everyday people, such as yours truly, did
not have time or money for the frippery
as dictated by fashion. In the late 1800s,
corsets came under fire by physicians as
a cause for many health concerns and
feminine weaknesses. Corsets did offer
support to a lady’s bosom, and when they
lost favor, ladies looked elsewhere for
such benefits. In 1914, Mary Phelps
Jacobs had her maid sew two
handkerchiefs together with some ribbon
included were petticoats, which were and a cord. She patented the design and
skirts worn beneath outer skirts for is now credited with inventing the first
warmth. Men wore “long shirts” to sleep brassiere.
in and as a base layer to their daywear. By the 1910s, it became fashionable for
Here then, is how the evolution of women to take part in sports such as
underthings progressed. cycling and tennis, and “bloomers,”
invented by Elizabeth Smith Miller,
came on the scene. Similar to pantalettes,
The man’s apparel history is more brief but now more closed in the crotch area,
(pun intended, I fear) so I will start there. they allowed a lady to enjoy such activity
In the man’s world, the union suit was while remaining modest should an upset
occur. Perhaps ironically, French can-can
commercially made, and came into its dancers were some of the first to usher in
own about the mid-1800s. This was a one this shift in ladies’ knickers.
-piece long sleeve cotton shirt and As hemlines rose through the 1920s,
knickers suit with an access hatch for women began to wear taller stockings to
ease of use during time when that area cover their legs, and bloomers became
needed, well,…ahem…access. This shorter. When flappers danced onto the
garment preceded “long johns”, which scene, garter belts were invented to hold
was similar, but existed as separate top up their stockings. For the first time,
and bottom pieces. Men’s modern lingerie became “sexy” as women’s
underwear made their debut in 1935, sexual awareness rose. By 1928,
when Coopers, Inc., sold the first pair of Maidenform was manufacturing bras and
briefs, “the jockey,” invented by apparel the bloomers of yore were now shortened
designer Arthur Kneibler, in Chicago. and marketed as “step-ins”.
These were similar to modern day
“boxers”, but offered a degree of manly
support previously unattended to.
So there you have it; from corsets and
shifts to bras and panties in the span of
about 50 years or so! I bid my following
Ladies’ undergarment evolution began in might now rest easy knowing that their
France with the pantalettes in the mid- underthings are also a product of this
1800s. These were basically a pair of modern era. Should you get underwear
leggings or long drawers. They could for Christmas, perhaps it will now bring
either be made as a pair, or as one you a newly enlightened sense of joy.
garment for each leg which tied at the
waist, but in either case were left open Yours,
below for hygiene purposes.
Corsets also evolved during this era,
Elizabeth
Celebrate the New Year in Downtown ‘Cross-My-Heart’ Quilt Raffle Soon to Close
Elizabethtown
The raffle quilt, hand stitched and donated by the Winters
Heritage House Museum’s Quilting Committee, will soon be off
to a new home with some lucky winner. The quilt is large enough
to serve as a great wall hanging, sofa throw, or small bed quilt.
The design is created by cross-stitched hearts on a white
background, with blue and yellow trim.
The raffle has raised $338 of the $400 needed to pull the winning
ticket. A good number of raffle tickets were sold during the
museum’s annual holiday craft show.
Raffle tickets can be purchased via phone, at the front desk, and
during museum hour. They are $1 each or 6 for $5. The winning
ticket will be pulled when the raffle goal is met.
Thank you for supporting the museum!!

This year, Winters Heritage House will be teaming up

with the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church to celebrate
the entrance of 2017. The event runs from 3pm to 7pm
on December 31st. For several years, the church, located
at 133 East High Street, Elizabethtown, has offered the
community a fun New Years Eve program, that
Letterkenny Ireland — Elizabethtown’s Sister City
coincides with midnight in Letterkenny Ireland,
Elizabethtown’s sister city. The countdown to midnight Letterkenny Ireland is the largest town in the northwestern county
occurs at a much more convenient hour for families and of Donegal. Elizabethtown was founded by immigrants from this
others who find midnight a challenge. area of Ireland. On November 2nd, 2002, Elizabethtown borough
officers and Letterkenny town delegates signed a Sister City
Event activities include a chicken BBQ dinner (eat in or
Partnership. The goal was to build an international relationship
take out), a chance to make s’mores, a firetruck and
between the communities through a sharing of education, culture
other emergency vehicles on exhibit, all at the church
and economics.
property. Children’s crafts will be offered inside the
museum, several doors down from the church. Museum
volunteers will be cooking in the hearth and visitors can
sample mulled cider and colonial foods while warming
up by the fire.
At 7pm, the celebration ends with a “midnight”
countdown at the church.
All are welcome to participate. Tickets for the BBQ
dinner are for sale at the church for $9.00, all other
activities are free. To call for dinner tickets, the church Letterkenny Square 1910 (above)
office can be reached at 717 367-2786
Letterkenny location (right)
Fun Findings From the Seibert Library
This article lives in the archives of the Seibert Genealogy Library. It was written by Harvey Reem in February of 1961, for the
Chronicle, and relives the Elizabethtown winters of 1877 and 1887, 140 and 130 years ago, respectively.

(continued on following page)

(article continued from previous page)

r M e mb ership
Keep You
Active!

The Perfect Gift for the History Enthusiast!

Memberships are our primary resource for

maintaining the museum. Please take the time to renew
your annual membership, or consider starting a membership as a gift for a
friend. Don’t worry, if you renew early we will add the
membership year to your existing due date.
Membership Form NEW ReNEW

Name: _________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________
Membership level (circle one)
Individual—$20 Patron — $100
Family — $40 Sponsor — $250
Sustaining — $60 Benefactor — $500
Set me up as a Nogging Brick Membership at $_______/ Month

Thank you for your support!

Check enclosed # _________ Amount : ____________
Or Credit Card: ______________________________

Winters Heritage House

Expiration: _____
Please send this form to the address
Museum
Stop in and explore more fascinating
provided here. The museum does not
articles. The museum is “closed” over
have an on-site mailbox. P.O. Box 14
winter, though we are often in the
building and welcome visitors! Simply call
to see if we are in for the day.
THANK YOU!
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
 Thank you to all our members and wonderful volunteers
Fridge Magnet Zone that make this museum what it is!
May you have a wonderful holiday season!!
Winters
Heritage
House Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Museum
Winter Activities
December 9 — Story Hour
9:30am, 10:45am & 1pm, ages 3-5, $2, adults
(should plan to stay) free
Learn how the early settlers of Pennsylvania
celebrated Christmas.

New Year’s Eve Celebration, 3pm to 7pm, in

conjunction with Christ Lutheran Church.
Help us ring in the New Year with our sister city,
Letterkenny Ireland. Our 7pm is their midnight,
which sounds like a win-win to us!
At the church you can enjoy a chicken BBQ dinner
(tickets for the meal are $9). See the
Elizabethtown Fire Department truck, EMT vehicle,
and a police car, on display. A few doors down,
inside the museum, will be children’s crafts, hearth
baked foods to sample, and mulled cider.
At 7pm, we’ll ring in the new year!

January 13— Story Hour

9:30am, 10:45am & 1pm ages 3-5, $2, adults free
Make a colonial toy and learn about life in a
frontier village.

January 14—Hearth Cooking Class

2pm to 5pm, dinner to follow
Sign up for this special twist on our hearth-cooking
class. We’ll need lots of hands for making noodles,
cooking a chicken on the hearth, baking
gingerbread, and eating all the goodies when we’re
done! $50/ 2 people (cook & dinner guest).
Winters Heritage House Museum, 47 East High Street
registration deadline December 31. P.O. Box 14, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 717 367-4672
February 10 — Story Hour, 9:30am, 10:45am Winter hours are by appointment through March 3, 2016.
& 1pm Ages 3-5, $2, adults free
Find out how our flag came to be. However, we are always happy to have visitors. We are often in the
museum working. Please call to see when we are in!
Please call to reserve a spot in the Story Hour or www.ElizabethtownHistory.org
the hearth cooking class.
Winters-HH@ElizabethtownHistory.org