HAIR SCRAPBOOK
Vintage: 1850s
Resides at Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
Many people have baby books with a lock from their first haircut taped inside. But long before that practice became commonplace, there were hair albums. In the 19th century, people remembered relatives and close friends using their hair. Tresses were intricately presented in small braids or twisted into patterns, a unique aspect of these albums. The hair of married couples was often woven together. This hair scrapbook was compiled by Elizabeth C. Carr between 1850 and 1865; most of the material dates to the 1850s. Represented are members of the Carr, Pound, Kester, and Sparks families of Vigo County, Indiana. It has a cross-stitched cover; ribbons and paper decorations set off the hair wreaths, typical for these types of books. Hair albums faded away as the 20th century approached and photography became the typical means of immortalizing family.
