The Ace of Clubs House’s temporary christening gown exhibit gives insight into the intricate sewing needed to make the clothing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

On display as part of the regular house tour until the end of August, the exhibit features nine christening gowns.

“We have a wonderful clothing and textile collection, so this is just an opportunity to have a special exhibit that will show some of the interesting pieces that don’t get to be seen a lot,” said Melissa Nesbitt, curator for the Ace of Clubs House.

Dating from 1870s to 1920, the gowns come from various Texarkana families and are part of the Texarkana Museums System collection.

“They would have a special gown to wear for the occasion, and a lot of times the christening gowns were passed down through several generations,” Nesbitt said. As such, they had an honored place in the family.

Often, while pregnant women were in a time of “confinement” (women would often stay away from the public during a certain time in their pregnancy), they would sew these garments, said Nesbitt.

“A lot of times period clothing, especially wedding gowns or things like that ... a lot of times the article of clothing would get reworked or remade, so it could be worn for another occasion. But christening gowns are among the very few things that did not get reworked,” she said.

Today, she said, an eyelet is typically machine-made, but she points to a place on a gown where it’s obviously handmade.

“It’s very, very intricate. And again this is something that a woman would sit and do for months at a time while she was just sitting, waiting for the baby to arrive,” said Nesbitt, noting that sewing machines were commonly available at the time.

“Even so a lot of these were still handmade dresses,” she said.

Cotton batiste, a delicate fabric, was often used for this type of a gown.

“I encourage people that do a lot of sewing, especially, to come down and take a look at these,” said Nesbitt.

For the family, the christening was a special moment and the gown was treated like a family heirloom.

“It was very significant for the family spiritually, so it not something you’d probably want the child to wear again,” Nesbitt said.

Most of the gowns on display have a similar basic style. All are long to give them an elaborate, special look.

“It was not just girls who wore these. Baby boys wore christening gowns as well,” Nesbitt said.

Many times, this clothing is now purchased at the store, she said.

“I just think it’s amazing that these mothers put so much time into these and that, like I said, they were saved and often passed down from generation to generation,” said Nesbitt.



(Admission to the Ace of Clubs House: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $4 for full-time students and children 5 and older. The Ace of Clubs House is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Last tour starts at 3 p.m. For information: www.texarkanamuseums.org or call 903-793-4831.)