In the mid- to late-1800s, it was not uncommon for someone to gift a friend or loved one with a lock of their hair. Due to photography being in its infancy, this was how loved ones could be kept close in the absence of pictures. Some women were known to create hair wreaths out of the hair they had collected, using wire to twist the hair into ornate flowers of all shapes and sizes.

At the Mercer County Historical Society, one woman went above and beyond when it came to keeping her friends and neighbors close. In 1859, Emma Spicer collected the hair from dozens of her neighbors. But instead of making the collected hair into a wreath to be framed on the wall, Miss Spicer created a freestanding bouquet of flowers! Even better, as she made the highly-detailed bouquet, she tied the names of the hair donors to each flower. The donors appear to be a mixture of men and women that Miss Spicer knew.

You can visit this one-of-a-kind bouquet at the Mercer County Historical Society, displayed in the upstairs Master Bedroom of the Riley House. The museum is located at 130 E. Market St. in Celina, Ohio. We are open Monday and Friday 9-5, and admission is free.

Please note that the museum will be closed during the month of January and will reopen to the public on February 3, 2025.