for our second Sunday
afternoon BookTalkers
program. Refreshments
afterwards.
On Sunday, Feb 12,at 3 pm,
Marlene Siepel, will tell us
of the inception of an idea
that grew into a 5-year
display of historical quilts and
then into an actual book.
Marlene Siepel |
Marlene Siepel was the library director at the Lordsburg Hidalgo Library in 2007
when the idea that a quilt show would be an excellent way to show pioneer women's contribution to the settling and homesteading of Hidalgo County..
Volunteers worked on the getting people to show their quilts and interviewed the
quilt owners, or if possible, the quilt maker. The original requirement was that the
quilter had a family member connection to a resident of Hidalgo County.
Hand-sewn quilts of original homesteaders to Hidalgo County came out of cedar chests.
Siepel explains in a Hidalgo County Herald article,
"Many of the women led homesteader lives in the unsettled territory or
early statehood days of Southwest New Mexico. A number of women
continued quilting through the Great Depression and WorldWar II. Their biographical histories give a picturesque description of the lives
they led and offers genealogical information for their families. Some
women were able to give their own first account information for the biographies. All information is authentic and an important part
of New Mexico History."
The 2-day quilt show continued to happen for five years,
2007 to 2012, with a total of 350 quilts & hand-work pieces displayed over the years. Biographies of each quilter was shown with the display. The quilts became a genealogical journey for Hidalgo County.
Ladies of the "Boot Heel" - Their Stories with Quilts highlights 107 quilts pictures with
biographies of their makers. Books will be for sale with proceeds going to the Friends
of the Lordsburg Hidalgo Library.
The Heritage Quilt show and the followup book came about through a cooperative
effort of many individual volunteers, the community & organizations, including:
- The Lordsburg Hidalgo Library,
- Lordsburg Hidalgo Chamber of Commerce,
- Lordsburg Hidalgo County Museum,
- Lordsburg County Herald,
- NMSU Hidalgo County Extensive Service,
- City of Lordsburg, Hidalgo County,
- and Hidalgo County Tourism.
This small spark of an idea to give women pioneers a place in at annual community
event grew because community groups and individuals were able to join hands and
make it happen. Yet the best outcome of the effort was important
oral history was documented and saved for eternity.
Siepel was the library director at Lordsburg Hidalgo Library for 27 years.
Her husband, Charlie, is Professor Emeritus for the N M Cooperative
Extension Service at NMSU. He retired as the Southwest District
Director for the NM Cooperative Extension Service when they moved
Lincoln County in 2014. Siepel currently teaches line dance at the
Capitan Senior Center & Canaan Trail Baptist Church.