A quilt that is almost 220 years old has been added to the collection of the Maine State Museum. Inscribed in the fabric with the year 1804, this quilt by an anonymous quilter makes it the oldest known dated quilt in their collection. Click through to find out more about this fascinating piece of history.

From the Maine State Museum:

"This is Maine’s oldest known dated quilt! The quilt’s muted blues, browns, and pinks were much more vibrant when an unknown quilter made it almost 220 years ago. Along with the date 1804, and the initials L (Hearts) R, the maker embroidered the number 4.

This quilt is now the oldest in the museum’s quilt collection and will make its public debut in 2025, in the upcoming exhibit Maine Quilts: 200 Years of Comfort and Community. Thanks to the late Judy Roche of Belfast for making this beautiful piece a part of the Museum’s collections.

MSM 2023.6.1"

(Photos from the Maine State Museum)

Maine’s Oldest-Known Dated Quilt - "Photo: Dating from the early 1800s, the oldest known Maine quilt is British in style and features a distinctive central medallion surrounded by several frames or borders. A ribbon-shaped piece of fabric is stitched directly on the quilted background, using a technique called applique. The maker included similar symbols throughout the quilt."

Maine’s Oldest-Known Dated Quilt - Detail