Blanket From Wool Of Cascade Mountain Goat Item Number: E233950-0 from the National Museum of Natural History

Notes

From card: "See history card. A fringe of heavy loops border one edge of the robe." Note, accession history indicates, that circa 1905: "The blanket has had a formaldehyde fumigation."From accession history: In a letter dated Washington, Connecticut, May 25, 1905, the donor Jeanne P. Platt (Mrs. Orville H. Platt) writes: "I am sending...the Indian blanket...which was very kindly sent to Mr. Platt and myself by Dr. Charles H. Buchanan of the Tulalip Agency, in March, 1903...I quote from the Doctor's letter: 'The blanket is made from wool of the Cascade Mountain goat, now practically extinct...The one I am sending you is the sixth I have seen at the five different reservations of this agency, and the largest. ...The one I am sending you was secured by me from an old Medicine man of the Swinomish Indians. Years ago, before the advent of the white man in this country, old Doctor Joe journeyed over into British Columbia and sought a bride among the Cowichan Indians. He was successful, and returned to Swinomish with his bride, bringing with him many gifts from her family in exchange for the larger gifts given by him ... among which was this blanket ..."