Barn Quilt Presented To Doris Haggard
The Topeka Area Historical Society
made a little history of its own when
local quilter Doris Haggard was presented with a barn quilt on Saturday,
August 10th. The barn quilt, painted by
local artist Cindy Bontrager, is of the
Topeka Rose and hangs on the north
side of the historical society’s Depot
Museum. It is the first barn quilt to be
displayed in Topeka.
“No one deserves this more than
Doris,” says historical society president Harold Gingerich. “She had really
wanted us to buy the barn quilt which
was exhibited at the Topeka Quilt
Show and Sale this year and put it on
the outside of the Depot. But, the more
we thought about it, the more we wanted something that was truly Topeka.”
Since Haggard is the vice president of
the historical society, Gingerich and
the rest of the Board decided to keep
the secret, and keep the secret they
did. Doris was totally surprised at the
unveiling.
It was Haggard who found, adopted, and then adapted the Topeka Rose
quilt block pattern as the symbol for
the Topeka Quilt Show & Sale which is
held annually in late June. Doris and
Genevieve Lehman, along with quilt
show founder Sue Christner, were the
driving force behind the quilt show
which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in the coming year.
“Things couldn’t have worked out
better,” observed Gingerich. Doris was
honored, we have the first barn quilt in
Topeka, and Cindy Bontrager painted
it … making it something that is truly
Topeka.”
September ‘13 · The Hometown Treasure · pg 45