Bea Larson
Title |
Bea Larson |
Image ID Number |
H21914 |
Date |
1913 c. |
Decade |
1910s |
Description |
Beatrice Larson was born May 8, 1907 in Alta, Iowa. She was a schoolteacher in Iowa and moved to Fort Collins in 1977 from Waterloo, Iowa. She then moved to Casper, Wyoming in 1984, where she died February 5, 1985. She is buried in the Scandinavian Cemetery in Alta, Iowa [Obit., Coloradoan, 2/6/85] This print shows Bea in a "Tom Thumb Wedding". Parents used to "ooh" and "ahh" at their kids in these curious, mock ceremonies that drew audiences during the early to mid 1900s. Never taller than 33 inches, Tom Thumb was the legendary circus midget who made headlines when he married a dwarf bride in 1863. After their fashionable New York wedding, President Abraham Lincoln received the couple at the White House. Thumb and his wife entertained audiences in America and abroad until their retirement in 1882. For many years, parents & teachers rounded up toddlers & elementary school kids for their own Tom Thumb nuptials. Children played all of the parts, from Thumb and his bride, to the ring bearer and the maid of honor, who might nibble on her bouquet if she were really young. In some parts of the nation, traveling companies specialized in the event, providing costumes and serving as masters of ceremonies. Proud, paying parents got to see their kids on stage, while the youngsters might receive ice cream for their cooperation. |
Content Type |
people |
Image Source |
Historical Collection |
Format |
image/jpeg |
File Location |
FC - Subjects - Celebrations, Exhibitions, Entertainments - Tom Thumb Weddings |
Language |
English |
Image Origin |
Print |
Digitization Format |
Microtek ArtixScan Scanner; Adobe 6.0; TIFF 800 dpi; JPEG 72dpi; GIF 72dpi |
Collection Name |
HistoricPhotographs |
you wish to report:
...