Blue Lake Signature Quilt Update

Thanks to Museum Volunteer Leslie Riecke, we now know more about one of the signatures on the famous Blue Lake Signature Quilt!

What is the Blue Lake Signature Quilt?

The Blue Lake Signature Quilt is a large, blue and white quilt with an embroidered border. On each quilt block is a signature of a Humboldt County resident who lived in or around Blue Lake in 1903. The quilt was donated to the museum in 1966 by Susie Baker Fountain, who is locally known for her massive collection of newspaper clippings and other materials detailing the early settlement of Humboldt County. The quilt has captured the attention of local historians throughout Humboldt County, including Leslie, one of the museum's volunteers.

Captain W. C. Dutton

In the June 10, 1905 entry of the Susie Baker Fountain Papers (Volume 88, pg 363), Susie mentions a Captain W.C Dutton, a man from Tennessee whose name is on the Blue Lake Signature Quilt. He lived in Blue Lake for a time and had organized the Blue Lake Chapter of the International Organization of Good Templars (IOGT) two years prior, in 1903. The Papers States that Captain Dutton would be returning to the area in the next week. 
Leslie mentioned that it could have been possible that the quilt had been made to be auctioned off, with the intent that the funds would be used to help establish a local chapter of the IOGT.
You can view the finding aid for the Susie Baker Fountain Papers through the Humboldt Room website operated by Humboldt State University here. 

Want to help tell the stories of the Blue Lake Quilt signers?

Below are the names of the individuals who signed the quilt. If you find any information on the people listed, please feel free to contact Katie at [email protected]