Ethnic quilts on display at Ethnic Heritage Museum

Double X quilt pattern. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

Rockford’s Ethnic Heritage Museum (EHM) will host a special reception showcasing a variety of ethnic, southwest Rockford and Civil War circa quilts beginning at 2 p.m., Sunday, June 26. This reception is one of the many events promoted by the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest.

EHM quilts will be on display through Sept. 30. Admission for the June 26 reception is $5 for a family, $3 for an individual and $2 for a student.

EHM will exhibit quilts from the Civil War Era: Double X Design (circa 1880), Monkey Wrench pattern, Hole in the Barn pattern and the Underground Railroad pattern.

This exhibit will include a “Calm Ocean” reverse appliqué quilt from Poland, Patriots’ Gateway After-School Program quilts, “Destination Rockford Quilt” and the Kent Street Studio quilts. On display will be other quilts with unique stories.

As part of the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest, anchor sites across northern Illinois’ six counties will be hosting quilt exhibits as well. For more about the other events promoted by the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest, visit www.NorthernillinoisQuiltFest.com.

EHM, 1129 S. Main St., is unique in its blend of ethnic groups: African-American, Italian, Lithuanian, Irish, Polish and Hispanic. A visit to each of the six galleries will enlighten visitors to the cultural history of each of these groups.

Underground Railroad pattern. (Photo provided)

The Ethnic Quilts will be on display every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. until Sept. 30. Special weekly tours may be prearranged by calling the museum at (815) 962-7402 or e-mailing ehm1129@comcast.net. Admission during this period is $5 for a family, $3 for an individual and $2 for a student.

For more information, visit www.ethnicheritagemuseum.org or e-mail ehm1129@comcast.net. The museum is handicap accessible.