In celebration of the Col. William Bond/Jesse Hawley house’s 200th birthday (1824-2024) the historic house will host a matrimony exhibit displaying wedding attire and wedding memorabilia from the past 200 years. The exhibit will feature more than 50 wedding gowns, other wedding attire, memorabilia, and photographs spanning two centuries.
Visitors will be able to find out about the history of wedding traditions that have been passed down through the generations. What was the background of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?” When did “white” became the color to wear for weddings, why it was popular to throw rice at the newly married couple, and what were the traditions behind the “cutting” of the wedding cake and the history of wearing the wedding rings on the “ring” finger?
The special exhibit will open at the Col. Bond/Hawley House, 143 Ontario Street in Lockport on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission will be free (donations to the Niagara County Historical Society gratefully accepted). Additional exhibit dates will be listed on the History Center website at niagarahistory.org or Facebook @niagarahistorycenter.