Fountain Inn – Dictionary.com states that a quilt is, “A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.” That sterile definition hardly covers (excuse the pun) the tenderness and careful artistry that goes into one of these unique bed covers. There is a story behind each one.

Fountain Inn historian Caroline Coleman once wrote, “The beautiful art of piecing quilts is Americana at its best.” Indeed.   

More than seventy-five of these folk masterpieces were surveyed and documented for the current Fountain Inn Museum exhibit titled Lasting Threads: Heirloom Quilts and Linens which goes from June 7 through September 3.  

Sourced from area families, some of the handmade gems are more than 150 years old, passed down from generation to generation. 

Laurel Horton, consultant for the exhibit, is an internationally known quilt researcher living in Seneca, South Carolina. She is a member of the American Quilt Study Group and is the author of Mary Black’s Family Quilts: Memory and Meaning in Everyday Life. She is on the faculty of North Carolina’s prestigious John C. Campbell Folk School and has directed events for galleries and museums across the country.

Gallery tours conducted by Laurel Horton are scheduled for June 14 at 2 PM and 7 PM. There is no charge for the tours, but advance registration is recommended. Special group tours during the summer can also be arranged. Call the Museum at (864) 862-2586.

Located on Depot Street just off Main Street, the Fountain Inn Museum is open Tuesday – Friday, 9 AM – 5PM, and 9 AM – 2PM on Saturday.  

Museum exhibits are always open to the public without charge. Information on Museum offerings is on the web at fountaininnmuseum.org.■