Summer Dress

Dressing a home for summer is a foreign concept to our modern world. However, especially in the southern summers, it was a necessity. Pre-air conditioning the interiors would be open to the dust and bugs of the pre window screen era. Covering furniture with slip covers protected them from dirt and dust. Mirrors and gilded items were covered to protect them from bug droppings. Beds were netted to protect the people sleeping from any number of outside creatures. Wool carpets were often taken up in the summer as well. However, this level of historical accuracy was not possible due to tour traffic. Some areas of the mansion were not dressed as to not cover all the artifacts for tours.