Welcome to PROMENADE: a 19th Century Fashion Show! Sponsored by Blair C. Diaz, CPA, PC

The Northeast Georgia History Center is proud to present this historical fashion show to the public. We would like to thank our models and volunteers for their time, effort, and fashions!

The Northeast Georgia History Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing our regional history and being our community’s pathway to history education. Through our educational programs, community events, exhibits, and historic structures, we strive to be a leading resource for promoting a greater understanding of local, state, and national history.

Special thanks to our Sponsor Blair C. Diaz, CPA, PC Certified Public Accountant.
"Our mission is to provide quality accounting, tax and audit services based on high professional standards and ethics for a long-term trusting relationship with each client. Our small expert staff has the professional experience and credentials to ensure personal attention to your accounting, tax and audit needs. We help our clients focus on what they do best by doing what we do best."

Models & Costumers

Arianna: Arianna is in tenth grade and has lived in Dahlonega her entire life. Some hobbies she enjoys include singing, playing guitar, sketching, and embroidery! Arianna first got involved in historical costuming and reenacting this past May at the Resaca Civil War Battle Reenactment and had the fun opportunity to dress in historical costume. She really enjoyed that feeling of walking back in time and looks forward to learning more and getting more involved in historical events!

Marie Bartlett: Marie is the Director of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center at the Northeast Georgia History Center and is super excited to be organizing this 19th Century Fashion Show! Fashion history is one of her favorite areas of study. She has been researching and recreating garments from various historical periods for over a decade for living history events, historical reenactments, and historical dance performances. She has an Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube where you can see more of her sewing creations called Historical Belle.

Steven Bartlett: Steven is a coach at Gym World of GA and has been teaching gymnastics and other activities for over ten years. His love for history comes from growing up next to Valley Forge and spending lots of time in museums. Steven is also a historical reenactor who has portrayed almost all periods of American history, and currently the blacksmith for the NEGAHC.

Madalyn Courson: Madalyn is currently a student at University of North Georgia seeking a degree in history and a minor in art history. She shares her passion for history and art by educating others through volunteering at various historic sites as a costumed interpreter. With over seven years of sewing experience, she designs and constructs her own ensembles as well as pieces for local theaters. Additionally, her work is available for sale through a reenactor’s co-op called Belle Sister's Mercantile. The range of her research, design, and construction extends from the 1700s through the 1800s.

Mary Delaplane: Mary is life-long costume enthusiast from the Athens area. She learned to sew in 4th grade in a 4H program and volunteered at Purdue University’s costume department in college. After her daughter Eva was born, she decided to make her passion a business. Today Mary runs The Dress-Up Box, a costume rental store in New High Shoals, GA. She regularly costumes shows for Athens Creative Theater, Town & Gown Productions, and the Oconee County schools. She also provides outfits for book reports, costume parties, and photoshoots. Mary is delighted to be a part of this fashion show with so many other talented artists from GA! The Dress-Up Box: 706-340-2106

Eva Elarbee: Eva is an avid vintage clothing collector from the Athens area. As her collection grew, she started an Etsy shop to place pieces with other vintage enthusiasts. Eva and her husband, Jairus, also love to dress up as Disney couples and attend events such as DragonCon and historic balls. When she’s not restoring vintage treasures, Eva teaches a variety of dance classes at the Joan Mann Dance Studio and choreographs shows for Athens Creative Theater. She’s thrilled to be joining in this historic fashion show alongside her husband and mom! Lacey Layers Website Instagram @lacey.layers.vintage

Jairus Elarbee: Jairus is an aerospace engineer who works remotely for Emergent Space Technologies. In his spare time, Jairus creates elaborate strategy board games with his friends. He and his wife, Eva, share a love of ballroom dancing and dressing up as Disney couples. Whether he’s portraying Prince Charming, Bert the chimney sweep, or a dapper 1890s gentleman, Jairus enjoys sharing his passion for history in creative ways.

Jean Hutchinson: Jean began dressmaking at about age eight in outfitting Barbie and other dolls in historically inspired clothing. She continues to research and recreate women's clothing from 1760 to 1895 and has been a living historian for nearly thirty years. Jean recently and joyfully retired and has time to pursue her other hobbies of spinning, knitting, gardening, and open fire cooking.

Bitzi Lacher: Bitzi is a retired elementary school teacher. She just moved to the Lake Lanier area in January and is enjoying the peace and quiet after the hectic Atlanta life. She has two boys who live in the Atlanta area. Her oldest son has just given her a first grandson at the end of July and of course, he's beautiful! She is looking forward to her BC (Before Covid) favorite hobby of traveling again SOON!

Kate Lopez: Kate is currently living in Dahlonega, GA. She enjoys reading, coffee, and doing any form of crafting! In the past several years Kate has become very passionate about history, especially American history, and starting this Fall she is pursuing a degree in history at the University of North Georgia. Because of her love for history and crafting, she has started sewing historic costumes and going to Battle Reenactments with her friends Madalyn Courson and Arianna Eshed!

Steve Maddern: Entertaining is Steve’s passion. This was first instilled to him by his British parents as a child learning how to set a table, what utensils to use and how. (Polishing silver was his allowance money!) Have you ever watched a film or read a book and said “I wish I could throw an event like that”, well, now you can. If you did not inherit Grandmas china and silver, we can make those special occasions as memorable as you dreamed of. Events by Étienne is an antique/ vintage item rental service set up just so you CAN make those memories come true. We have all the items for an elegant tea or five course meal. To get in touch call 404-372-2286.

Kat Nagar: Kat is a historical dancer, costume designer, and mom. Her love affair with costume and sparkly accessories began at an early age and she sometimes feels that she was born in the wrong era. Most of the costumes Kat makes are worn for dance performances. Wearing the correct underpinnings and layers requires the body to move in a certain way, therefore creating a more accurate performance. Plus it's just fun to twirl around in a big dress! Kat Nagar is the director of Atlanta Historic Dance. She loves to perform, teach and choreograph historic dances. To learn more about Atlanta Historic Dance please see their website: www.atlantahistoricdance.com

Kathryn Schwenger: Kathryn is a retired museum curator who started her love of historic costuming as a War of 1812 historical re-enactor in Canada. After emigrating to the US in 2004, she expanded her interest to include the later 19th and early 20th century time periods. Every outfit she makes is sewn entirely by hand, an activity she actual finds relaxing as well as rewarding.

Jenny Allison Stanley: Jenny has been a Historian/Reenactor of 28 years, and a historical seamstress for over 20 years, specializing in women's clothing and the education of women's lives in the 18th & 19th Century. She is currently preserving the art of Victorian Hairwork Jewelry and Memorial Art. www.facebook.com/forgetmeknothairwork

Stefan Trimm: Stefan officially got involved in historical costuming only fairly recently which has been a fun learning process that he has enjoyed very much. In the last few years he has met a few like minded people who enjoy going out in town dressed in various time period garb for fun or for actual events such as dancing in a variety of ways. Stefan loves historical fiction and nonfiction and, along with his appreciation for action, he loves immersing himself in the role that each different outfit from different time periods brings out of him.

Chip Uhlir: Chip has always enjoyed history in general and the mid-nineteenth century period in particular. He spent half of his working career in corporate business environments and the other half working in the field of education as a counselor and behavioral program specialist. Retirement has allowed him to pursue the writing of a social history book entitled “Fashionable Propriety – A Visual Survey of Social Invitations used during the Mid-Nineteenth Century.” A cut-out section of this book has recently been released and is entitled ‘Fashionable Decorum – Attire worn to Fancy Social Engagements during the Mid-Nineteenth Century.”

Chip has volunteered literally thousands of hours at several National Park Service sites as a military reenactor. Chip has also participated in living history activities at many state and local historic sites as a docent and civilian reenactor. Chip has been an active member of several period dance performance groups in the region including the 1860s Society of Georgia, the Stately Vintage Dancers, and more recently with the Atlanta Historic Dance group.

Amy Wachtel: Amy has been sewing for over 25 years, professionally off and on for much of that time, and interested in history her whole life. Many years ago she merged the two together with a niche interest in historic fashion, though she continues to create a wide variety of costumes, clothing, garb, multimedia accessories, and more on commission. If you would like an Amy Original, her email is amyewachtel@gmail.com, her facebook is https://www.facebook.com/amy.wachtel.9, and her Instagram is @amyelizabethwachtel.

Denise Weimer: Denise is a native North Georgian, a wife and mother of two college-age daughters, and a traditionally multi-published author and editor specializing in historical romance. Her books are set across Georgia in various time periods and are available on Amazon and through bookstores. She started doing Civil War re-enacting as a teenager to inspire her writing. For many years, she led a vintage dance group. Thus, her collection of mid-1800s clothing. She also works part-time for Gwinnett County as a historical educator.

Memberships at the Northeast Georgia History Center

When you become a Member of the Northeast Georgia History Center, you can receive exclusive access to Members-Only events and digital programs, unlimited admission to our exhibits, Museum Shop discounts, and reciprocal Membership to 65 Southeastern museums! Member benefits vary according to Membership level. Details at www.negahc.org/member.

Free Family Day: The Founding of Georgia
Sunday, September 11th from 1-4 PM

The Northeast Georgia History Center invites families and folks to its FREE Family Day: The Founding of Georgia on Sunday, September 11th from 1-4 PM.Learn about what life was like living in the early Colony of Georgia through living history demonstrations including blacksmithing, cooking, and weaving. Meet General James Oglethorpe portrayed by a professional performer. Receive a free souvenir photo with our Green Screen Time Machine and be transported to colonial Savannah, Georgia. And more!All of the activities in this event align with the Georgia Standards of Excellence for public schools and offer students a great way to connect with what they're learning in class.

Family Days are free to the public thanks to the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center.

Become a Volunteer Tutor for our children’s reading program, Gainesville Reads!

With just one hour per week, you can make a difference in a local child’s life. Gainesville Reads provides free one-on-one tutoring for 1st-5th grade students in Hall County who struggle with reading. Training is provided.

For details and our tutor application, visit www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads.

"We are so excited to see that he has made a complete 180 from last year and is now reading on his grade level. I honestly don’t think we would be at this point without the help of your program. Thank you for everything!" - Gainesville Reads Parent