Name/Title
Small CarpetbagEntry/Object ID
2026.347.1Description
Small carpet bag belonging to Belle Lawson. According to Lawson, the bag belonged to Richard Dart's family prior to her use of it as a teachers bag for when she taught at the Town Line school in the 1890s. The bag has a floral motif in red, brown, and beige. There is a brass clasp at the center of the front flap. Date unknown but likely mid to late 1800s. (1850-1890) For more information about Belle Lawson see exhibit poster included in this entry as a PDF.Context
Born in New York City, Richard Dart moved with his family to Wisconsin in 1840. His father, Anson Dart, was the founder of nearby Dartford (now known as Green Lake). He wrote vital eyewitness accounts detailing the region's mid-19th-century landscape and native Ho-Chunk village life before widespread European settlement. He heavily researched and preserved the history of Ripon's Signal Oak, a famous tree used by early Native Americans and pioneers as a landmark.Acquisition
Accession
2026.347Source or Donor
Belle LawsonAcquisition Method
DonationLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
CarpetbagNomenclature Primary Object Term
Bag, CarryingNomenclature Sub-Class
Personal Carrying & Storage GearNomenclature Class
Personal GearNomenclature Category
Category 03: Personal Objects
