The 1976 Bicentennial Quilt, on loan from the Williamsburg Historical Society, has a place of honor in the Meekins Library. It is displayed against the granite wall of the original library building where it connects to the 2003 library addition. In honor of the nation’s bicentennial year, 37 ladies of Williamsburg and Haydenville worked 42 separate squares celebrating life in our town from 1776-1976. The squares, including Meekins Library, the Flood, the Grange, the town churches, farming, and the Main Street trolley car, were designed by local artist Greta Carey.
The thirty-seven talented ladies were: Maryjane Beach, Vivian Black, Helen Breguet, Mary Breguet, Greta Carey, Gertrude Cerreta, Marion Cerreta, Mary Crampton, Joy Crotty, Betty Derosia, Helen Drake, Marjorie Dunphy, Marilyn Everett, Betty Feiker, Estelle Ferguson, Jane Gliserman, Louise Goodhue, Margaret Halberstadt, Janet Hale, Eldora Hathaway, Eleanor Hebert, Jeanne Hemenway, Shirley Hinkley, Shirley Kellogg, Shirley Lashway, Helen Leonard, Althea Marks, Martha Marks, Ruth Mills, Ruth Nash, Marie Packard, Florence Payne, Rhea Sanderson, Iva Thayer, Dorothy Tiley, Marian Warner, and Jean York.
The quilt was designed by Greta Carey, to celebrate our country’s 200th anniversary in 1976. She even embroidered it on the back of the quilt: “This is my gift to America. Greta Carey. Spring 1976.” What a wonderful gift from Greta and all the women who made the quilt squares. Come to Meekins to see the quilt. Link to a list of all the contributors and their squares via Meekins online. Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist and documentary photographer. #throwbackthursday; tbt.
Posted to Facebook 3/9/2023