SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A rare dress is on display for the first time in over a decade in Springfield.
One of the few surviving dresses worn by Mary Lincoln is on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM).
Known as the "strawberry dress" for its decorative pattern of berries and leaves, the dress can be seen in the "Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation" exhibit.
The dress was preserved by Lincoln's relatives for generations until it was donated to the state of Illinois in 1963.
The ALPLM said the dress is very fragile, so it is rarely put on display. This is the first time since 2011 that the dress will be viewable to the public.
"Clothing is so personal. It connects us to people of the past in a way few other objects can, and it reveals so much about the wearer's taste and personality," said ALPLM Executive Director Christina Shutt. "Mary Lincoln was a fascinating and complex person, and I hope seeing this dress helps people take a few minutes to learn more about her."
The dress will be on display through April 26.
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