Cabinet Card Photo of Quilters, Northern Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, ca. 1880s

Photographer's name and locations on cabinet card: "Smith, Lykens and Williamstown."

A group of quilters from a cabinet card photo by W. W. Smith (1834-Jan. 22, 1892), a photographer who had studios in Lykens and Williamstown, both of which are towns located in northern Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

How do we know that these women are quilters? They're all holding quilting squares (or blocks), and many of them have scissors (mouse over image above for a close-up view). Some of them are also pretending to sew their squares with needles and thread.