LATROBE, PA — The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery will host a free and public opening reception celebrating its new exhibition of antique coverlets from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in the Fred M. Rogers Center on the campus of Saint Vincent College.
The exhibition, titled “States of the Union: A Textile Tour of Early America,” celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary with a collection of 30 19th-century decorative bed coverlets that were handmade by skilled artisans in 16 states of the young nation.
Woven bed coverlets have been described as the T-shirts of their era. In addition to their practical day-to-day uses, they also served as a canvas for slogans, images and stylistic sensibilities in the popular consciousness.
The oldest coverlet featured in the upcoming exhibition was woven in 1811 in Vermont with a monochrome geometric pattern and is hand-embroidered with the date and its owner’s name. On the other end of the spectrum is a multi-colored floral coverlet woven 70 years later in Missouri in 1881 by Henry Adolf. He began his career in Indiana and moved westward through Iowa, Kansas and Missouri to stay one step ahead of the factory industrialization that put most professional handweavers out of business by the latter half of the century.
The handwoven coverlets in “States of the Union” tell the story of a developing nation, spanning 70 years of tumultuous history and covering a geographic range from the Atlantic Ocean to west of the Mississippi River.
The event will include light refreshments, door prizes, crafts, trivia and a scavenger hunt.
Following the opening reception Oct. 30, the exhibition will remain open through March 13, 2026. The gallery is located on the ground floor of the Rogers Center. Admission and parking are free. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Guided tours are also available. For additional information, visit www.coverletgallery.org, follow the McCarl Gallery on Facebook or contact McCarl Gallery curator Emily Barth at 724-805-2188.
