Famous in Morganton, NC

I don't know if you remember my post about hand-me-down clothing in our family...but I spoke a bit about my niece Madeline who was baptised in a century-old Christening gown. Well, the story made news in my home town. Read on...


Family uses heirloom Christening gown to honor tradition
By Tracy Farnham | The News Herald

Published: February 5, 2009

MORGANTON - Traditions aren't always easy to keep, but local descendants of one family defied easy to carry on their family's tradition. They smuggled a cherished family heirloom out of Cuba.
When Maria Atkins' mother was a baby she was christened in a handmade gown.
"The gown was handmade for my mom in Cuba," Atkins said.
As the oldest of her family, she was the first one to wear it, and every one in the family has worn it since then for their christening, she added.
Four generations and 94 years later, Atkins figures that nearly 100 family members have taken part in the family tradition thanks to the wisdom of her mom.
"My oldest sister was pregnant when we left, and my mom had the foresight to bring the gown in the one suitcase we were allowed to leave Cuba with," Atkins said.
"We had to smuggle it out when the Castro regime took over," she said.
All the jewelry had to be left behind allowing only a watch and wedding bands if married to be worn out of the country, she added.
Maria was 12 years old when she and her sister were sent by ferry to live with family in Florida. The family typically visited the United States on vacation, but always traveled by plane.
"My parents didn't tell us we were not coming back, but when we were enrolled in school we figured it out," she said.
Her parents came to the United States a few months later and never returned to their homeland.
"The government went into the house and confiscated everything, and we haven't been back since," Atkins said.
Since that time others brought a baby album to Atkins and relatives have sent photographs in their letters, she added.
Left with mostly memories of her childhood in Cuba, Atkins took comfort in the fact that the most important family heirloom was safe.
She has two daughters along with her three siblings who have all used the gown, including their children and grandchildren.
During the most recent christening service in December at Grace Episcopal Church in Morganton, Atkins brought the gown out of storage for her own granddaughter, Madeline.
"The gown is very fragile so the baby wears it for the christening service, and we have to take it off immediately after," she said.
Atkins has consulted Patricia Lackey, owner of Patterns, about repairs to the heirloom.
"When you repair these garments sometimes the repair puts more stress on the rest of the garment and the repair looks bad," Lackey said.
Over time they become dried out and the least bit of stress will cause a tear, she added.
"If I can't fix it I won’t even try because it only makes it worse," she said. That was the case with Atkins family's christening gown.
Through the years people had made repairs and many times a small repair becomes larger creating a chain reaction, Lackey said.
"I've done many repairs and the one thing you don't want to lose is the family value. What makes the garment valuable is the history," she said.
Lackey said, "People are going back to tradition and some have kept it all through the years like this family."
Not sure if the gown will be used for a fifth generation, Atkins said they may eventually have to retire it.
More than 90 years ago and spanning a family's exile to freedom, the gown continues to be a family legacy.
Tradition will be carried on once more though as she sends the gown to family in Florida for another christening service in late summer.