Blanket Statements: Long Island’s Early Weaving Industry
May 25, 2023–October 8, 2023
Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery
Thursdays–Sundays, 11 AM to 4 PM
About the Exhibition
Featuring art and objects from the collections of Preservation Long Island, the Huntington Historical Society, and the Whaling Museum & Education Center, Blanket Statements explores Long Island’s early textile industry and the broader historical events that shaped its growth during the first half of the nineteenth century.
By the early 1800s, Long Island was at the forefront of carpet and coverlet production in North America. As the young United States sought economic independence following a pair of wars against Great Britain, textile manufactories evolved from Long Island’s agricultural base. Highly skilled weavers created complex designs using innovative loom technology introduced by recent European immigrants. Beautiful and functional, these objects reflect the interwoven connections between people, materials, technology, and labor—both enslaved and free—across an ocean and generations.
Visit the companion exhibition, From Farm to Fabric: Early Woven Textiles of Long Island, at the Huntington Historical Society to learn more about the materials, technology, and design of woven textiles produced in the home and in small-scale professional workshops across Long Island during late eighteenth and early nineteenth century!
Learn More
Woven History: The Technology and Innovation of Long Island Coverlets, 1800-1860
Long Island was at the forefront of coverlet production during the early 19th century. This original publication from our collection provides an in-depth exploration of local mills and weavers, loom technology, and regional coverlet designs.
The exhibition is sponsored in part by North Shore Quilting & Fabric Art
