The Henry Ford is a museum and a historic village with 35 historic houses manned by historically clothed presenters.

During my tenure at  The Henry Ford, thousands of costumes were made, refurbished and sourced for purchase for these 35 sites. Each site is like a stage show with its own cast of characters

It is a never-ending show at The Henry Ford, each year (open from April through December) the gates open to the throngs of visitors and it was my job to manage all clothing and accessories and make them ready for each season.

Depending on the time of year, employees can be as much as 700. To the right is pictured a typical 1880's farm woman and list of all the pieces of clothing that went into her wardrobe. 

Much consideration is given to making clothing out of correct fabric, color, and patterns, as well as sourcing pieces that can be purchased.

At first glance, the daily visitor sees idyllic scenes of the time period. What the visitor does not see is the amount of clothing made and stored to keep these sites running smoothly.