On this day in 1979, American film icon John Wayne died at age 72 after battling cancer for more than a decade. Wayne was born Marion Morrison in 1907 in Winterset, Iowa. “The Duke,” (a nickname that came from his childhood dog), became famous for his roles as a rugged western hero, delivering lines like “A man ought’a do what he thinks is best.”
Lillian M. Shaw of Winterset, Iowa hand pieced and hand quilted this Double Wrench, or Hole in Barn Door, quilt between 1860 and 1925. The quiltmaker’s granddaughter documented the quilt during the Iowa Quilt Research Project.
View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-wayne-dies
Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org