A Visit with Mrs. Potts

At the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, Mary Florence Potts’ cold-handled sad iron was the toast of the fair. She spent the next two decades touring the country with a promotional lecture. Mrs. Potts will visit your group as a stop on her tour to promote her invention. She will discuss domestic life in the 19th Century, the science and technology behind the development of her invention, and what it means for a woman to hold a US Patent and manage her own affairs. Mrs. Potts can appear at your event in 1885, or if you prefer, in 1893 when she was in Chicago for the Columbian Exposition. Mrs. Potts arrives costumed in the preferred year, with examples of her invention and period appropriate promotional materials.
Running time: 45 minutes to an hour

Requirements: One small table, card table sized

Click here to hear Mrs. Potts as recorded by Chicago Public Radio for WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified series

Click here to hear a recent podcast of a Mrs. Potts appearance at Morraine Valley Community College