Kit Morgan

Another Easter has come and gone and I often think of the movie Easter Parade at this time of year. I haven’t watched it in a while so maybe I will sometime this week. All those lovely Easter hats and bonnets!

The Victorian era marked a golden age for milliners. With the rise of the middle class and increased emphasis on fashion, the demand for stylish headwear soared. Milliners were artisans, meticulously crafting bonnets and hats that were both fashionable and reflective of the wearer’s social standing. Milliners also make for great characters in historical romance books!

Bonnets were more than mere accessories; they were statements. Crafted from materials like straw, silk, and lace, and adorned with artificial flowers, ribbons, and feathers, each bonnet was a unique creation. I have a few books on millinery, and it doesn’t look like an easy process. In fact, it was quite labor-intensive, requiring skill and creativity to balance aesthetics with the structural integrity needed to support the elaborate decorations. So, one can only imagine what a milliner’s shop became when suddenly everyone’s ordering a new hat or bonnet for Easter! Let the milliner’s marathon begin!

Easter was the pinnacle of the millinery calendar. Women flocked to millinery shops, eager to commission the most fashionable and elaborate bonnets for the Easter parade. The parade began in the 1870s in New York City as a tradition of wealthy New Yorkers strolling down Fifth Avenue after attending Easter mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. And all to show off their spring fashions! This tradition quickly spread to other urban centers and grew each year. By 1947 New York’s Easter parade down Fifth Avenue attracted more than a million people!

For milliners, this period was both exhilarating and exhausting. The demand for Easter hats and bonnets meant long hours, with artisans working tirelessly to meet deadlines. The pressure was immense, but so was the opportunity to showcase their craftsmanship to a wider audience.

Victorian hats and bonnets varied in style, reflecting the changing fashions of the era. Early Victorian bonnets were modest, with small brims and minimal decoration. As the century progressed, bonnets and hats became larger and more ornate. Decorations evolved as well. In the 1880s and 1890s, bonnets featured lavish embellishments, including feathers, artificial flowers, and even entire birds—fake ones of course!

 Not all women could afford custom-made hats or bonnets. For those of modest means, creativity was key. Old bonnets were refurbished with new trimmings, ribbons, and flowers to give them a fresh look for Easter. This practice allowed women from various social backgrounds to participate in the tradition, showcasing their resourcefulness and personal style.

Millinery shops also offered ready-made hats and bonnets, making fashionable headwear more accessible. These items were often designed to be versatile, allowing wearers to add their own embellishments to suit personal tastes and current trends.

By the early 20th century, the popularity of fanciful bonnets began to wane, replaced by hats with broader brims and different styles. However, the tradition of the Easter bonnet persisted, especially in the United States, where it became a symbol of the holiday.

The Easter parade, immortalized in Irving Berlin’s song “Easter Parade,” kept the tradition alive, celebrating the joy of spring and the creativity of milliners and wearers alike.

The history of millinery and the Easter bonnet is a testament to the artistry and cultural significance of fashion. For Victorian milliners, Easter was more than a holiday—it was an opportunity to display their skill, creativity, and understanding of societal trends. Their legacy endures, reminding us of a time when a bonnet was not just an accessory, but a statement of identity, faith, and artistry.

Are you a hat wearer? Do you wish fanciful hats were still part of modern-day fashion? I have a collection of vintage hats that yes, it would be fun to wear them!

Woo Hoo! bn100

You’ve won one free ebook copy of The Captain’s Rescue!
Contact Kit at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com so Kit can get your ebook to you.

My latest release is different from my usual western. Part of a multi-author project entitled The Rich Man Takes a Bride Series, each hero in our line up of books has some issues or a past that might not be all that appealing to a future bride. While doing the research for this book, I looked more at how a shipping company was run in the late 1800s, then realized that if my dad were alive back then, he might have worked for my character Asher Stone.

Dad was a merchant marine back in WWII and oh, the stories he would tell! But what I didn’t know, was that merchant marines were long considered the unsung heroes of American maritime history. In times of peace, they operated as a bustling commercial enterprise. But when conflicts erupt, the merchant marines’ sturdy vessels transformed dramatically into lifelines for military operations.

But what about the merchant ships in my story set in 1893? In short, merchant ships were the heart of global trade networks. They transported things raw materials, finely crafted manufactured goods and luxury items. Is it any wonder pirates were a problem?

A shipping company would find the most efficient shipping routes, and in doing so, create robust revenue streams. This bolstered national economies, ensuring that essential imports meet domestic needs and exports open doors to international markets.

In other words, merchant vessels were the backbone of America’s ascension on the world stage and were a reliable provider of shipping services spanning numerous economic sectors. And thus, this is why my character Cyrus Van Cleet, is filthy rich. It’s also why Asher Stone, became pretty well off himself. He was the perfect character to use in this book as my hero. Poor guy has been sitting on the virtual fiction shelf for years! I’m glad I was finally able to tell his story.

Most of the fillies belonging to Petticoats & Pistols have been writing for a long time. Some of us have multiple generations of characters at this point! Cyrus Van Cleet’s origin story is told in Polly and the Shipbuilder. He travels west and settles my little town of Clear Creek in The Trail to Clear Creek. He’s then in my Prairie Bride series, and my Prairie Groom

series and appears in multiple series in my more than 180 book backlist of books!

My townspeople don’t find out how rich he is until Her Prairie Viking,  the fourth book in my Prairie Bride series when he decides to build a small, but elaborate hotel in the tiny town. It sticks out like a sore thumb, but everyone in town loves it. And he manages through correspondence to run his shipping company from afar. It helps that he has a brother, Reginald, who is back in Boston, also running the company. Unfortunately, Reginald isn’t the most savory of characters, so Cyrus chooses Asher Stone, who’s running the bank in my tiny town, to go manage things for him. 

Asher has been a side character for years and he pops up now and then in conversation, and makes a few appearances here in there, but now finally has his own book! And, in case you’re wondering, Cyrus Van Cleet is still alive and kicking in my books. He’s old now, and so are his friends. And they can sure stir up their share of trouble!

Are there books you’ve read that have characters that live long into old age? Have you enjoyed getting to know them over the years through the books they appear in? My readers enjoy Cyrus and his friends, so much, I had to come up with a way for them to keep living! Good thing I have time travelers in my repertoire of characters. Not to mention one that’s quite handy with elixirs that affect aging. It was the only way to keep my little gang of elderly trouble makers going.

What are some characters from books or movies that you’ve enjoyed watching grow story after story? I’m giving away one free e-copy of The Captain’s Rescue to one lucky commenter. Here’s a little more about the book:

Asher Stone was detail oriented and good with numbers. So when he left his little town of Clear Creek, Oregon years ago to manage the Van Cleet Shipping Company in Boston, Asher discovered he was good at other things too. Like spying, privateering, and posing as a pirate. But what’s a little extra work? After all, between three jobs, he’s managed to procure his own ship. But lately, thoughts of finding a wife and starting a family were crossing his mind. Unfortunately for him, he’s got a few  obstacles in the way. For one, someone is spreading rumors that he’s a smuggler. And two, the one woman that catches his eye, accuses him of ruining her family during his privateering days. But she’s got it all wrong, and he aims to set the record straight with the pretty spitfire.

Elodie Carlson finally has the name of the man that ruined her family. Captain Asher Stone. And she’s determined to bring him to justice! But when she finally gets the chance to confront him, he denies any involvement. In fact, he’s just as determined to prove his innocence as she is to prove he’s guilty. And blast it! Wouldn’t you know his explanation as to what might have really happened makes sense? But to prove it they’ll have to work together to bring the real culprits to light, and see them arrested. Can she bear working with a man she’s not sure she can trust? Worse, can she work with a cowboy turned sea captain without losing her heart?

Congratulations Barbara! You’ve won a free e-book copy of Miss Clementine, The Brides of Fiddler’s Gap, Book 11. Please email Kit at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com so she can get your ebook to you.

In my latest book, my little town of Fiddler’s Gap has been hankering for Wells Fargo to visit their tiny hamlet to see if Wells Fargo would set up a branch there. After all, when the frontier was as unpredictable as the weather, a lot of people entrusted their hard-earned money and valuables to Wells Fargo—a company that quickly earned a reputation for rigorous security. Stagecoaches, the workhorses of the time, weren’t just a means of transportation; they were mobile vaults carrying gold, silver, and other treasures safely from town to town. Problem for my little town was, the nearest bank was eight miles away, and it was darn inconvenient to have to try to make it to the next town, (especially in winter) to take care of one’s money. But as the railroad was finally coming to Fiddler’s Gap, the townsfolk figured they’d give it a shot!

They knew Wells Fargo didn’t take any chances. Valuable shipments were packed in robust wooden boxes, often stowed away in the front boot of a stagecoach or secured within an iron safe. Yet, despite these heavy-duty precautions, the allure of treasure was too great for outlaws. Robbery attempts were a common hazard on the dusty trails of the American West, and it was no different in Oregon for my little town of Fiddler’s Gap.

To counter this, the company introduced a clever two-pronged security strategy. First, armed messengers were assigned to “ride shotgun” alongside the drivers, providing a visible deterrent against would-be robbers. Second, in the aftermath of a heist, a dedicated force of special agents sprang into action. And I’ve got two that come to Fiddler’s Gap.

These special agents were the unsung heroes of the Wells Fargo story. Though they didn’t hold official arrest powers, their knack for piecing together clues and tracking criminals set them apart. Their work involved more than just chasing down bandits—they collaborated with local law enforcement, organized pursuits, and even printed reward posters. A standard reward package typically included $250 and a quarter of any treasure recovered, a generous incentive that underscored the company’s commitment to justice.

Notable figures like James B. Hume and John N. Thacker became synonymous with this relentless pursuit. They honed their skills to such a degree that Hume even maintained a “mugbook”—a collection of photos and detailed descriptions of known outlaws—to aid in identifying repeat offenders.

One standout case from 1871 illustrates the ingenuity of Wells Fargo’s investigative force. After a stagecoach was ambushed between Marysville and Downieville, California, Hume arrived at the scene and immediately observed something others might have overlooked: two distinct sets of boot tracks. By carefully measuring these tracks and noting the unique impressions made by boot nails in the dust, Hume gathered crucial evidence. That’s some pretty spiffy early detective work!

At trial, his findings made a compelling case. A pair of boots matching one set of tracks was linked to suspect George Rugg—a known bandit who had previously evaded harsh penalties by turning informer on his accomplices. This time, however, Rugg and his partner Ephraim White faced conviction, their mugshots forever adding to Hume’s infamous collection.

Then in 1885, Hume and Thacker further cemented their legacy by publishing the “Robbers Record.” Their report cataloged 347 robberies and attempted heists on Wells Fargo shipments—both by stagecoach and train—spanning from 1870 to 1884. It even included comprehensive descriptions of 205 convicted robbers, serving as a vital tool for law enforcement across the West. Thanks to this meticulous documentation and relentless investigation, the conviction rate for stage and train bandits soared to an impressive 70 percent during that era.

While the days of stagecoach bandits and dusty trails are gone, the spirit of vigilance and security that defined Wells Fargo’s early years endures today. That and they make for some great story telling! Have you ever read any books involving special agents from say Wells Fargo, or even Pinkerton agents? I know authors have used both in stories. I’m giving away one free ebook copy of Miss Clementine, The Brides of Fiddler’s Gap, Book 11. Here’s a little more about the book:

Imagine Captain Stanley Finbar Merriweather’s surprise when in one day he finds out that he not only has a grandniece who’s on her way to live with him, but a son! Imagine Clementine Potts’ surprise when she finds out her grand uncle wants to whisk her off to some nothing of a town called Fiddler’s Gap to see her wed! But Fiddler’s Gap has more than a few bachelors available, it is also the home of her Great Uncle Stanley’s son.

Tensions are high when Great Uncle Stanley insists he travel incognito. For all he knows, his son Ives would be better off not knowing him. But a man of his word, he’s also determined to find Clementine a husband, even if it is in the same town where his son lives. But can he hold out long enough to see the job done? Can she? Add a couple of suspicious townspeople, not to mention Wells Fargo agents, and poor Stanley and Clementine have their hands full trying to keep up their ruse! But worst of all, what if Hansen Merlot, the young man Clementine is falling for finds out? Will everything fall apart?

Rhodna, you’ve won a free ebook copy of Mrs. Pettigrew’s Valentine’s Match!

Contact Kit at authorkitmorgan@gmail.com so she can get you your ebook!

As usual, I stumbled across some interesting facts about something I needed to research in my current work in progress. In this case, it wound up being the Denver Dry Goods Company. My characters had to go shopping for a few things, and when you’re my rich widow, Mrs. Pettigrew, you can go wherever you want. In this instance, she’s taken a young woman and her two younger siblings underwing, and is dragging them through the store. And what a store it is!

Little did I know that nestled in the heart of downtown Denver, Colorado stands a grand and historic building, known as the Denver Dry Goods Company Building. With its rich history and impressive size, it once claimed the title of largest department store west of Chicago. In 1916, a postcard boasted its impressive features: “The Largest Store in the Central West, spanning 400 feet in length with seven acres of floor area, employing over 1,200 workers, and holding a stock worth $1,500,000. That was a lot for way back in the day!

The huge department store is located on California Street between 15th and 16th streets in Denver. As the flagship store of The Denver Dry Goods Company, this retail establishment was part of Associated Dry Goods and underwent renovations under this parent company. Its motto, “Where Colorado Shops With Confidence,” is still fondly remembered by many residents of the state. However, in 1986, the store was acquired by May Company as part of Associated Dry Goods Corp.

Originally built in 1889, the Denver Dry Goods Company Building underwent multiple expansions throughout the years in 1898, 1906, and 1924. Today, it has been converted into apartments but still retains its grandeur and historical significance. Standing tall and proud amidst the bustling city streets, it serves as a reminder of Denver’s prosperous past and its continued growth and evolution.

As my famous matchmaker, Mrs. Pettigrew lives in Denver, I get to have a lot of fun digging up little tidbits of history to put into my books.
Of course, when I think of department stores, I thing of Macy’s on 34th Street in New York. I loved shopping there and love the history of the place. But now I’ve grown curious about The Denver Dry Goods Company and plan to incorporate it a little more into my current Mrs. Pettigrew series.

I’m still working on Mrs. Pettigrew’s current matchmaking attempts, but here’s a little scene from the book that takes place in the Denver Dry Goods Company:

The next day after breakfast—an eventful affair as Tugs and the children played tag around the table until Hattie and Mrs. Pettigrew arrived—they went to town.

“Supplies,” in Mrs. Pettigrew’s mind, didn’t consist of just a pair of shoes and some socks for the children. No. They rode in the carriage to Denver Dry Goods, a huge department store where you could find just about anything. Abigail accompanied them, seemingly as a pack mule. She carried a stack of wrapped packages so high that the poor woman could hardly see. Hattie’s arms were just as loaded. With a child’s hand in each of hers, Mrs. Pettigrew led Esther and Carson to another department.

“If ye don’t mind, Mrs. Pettigrew,” Abigail said from behind the wall of packages “I’d like to take these to the carriage.”

“Good idea, Abigail.” Mrs. Pettigrew began to peruse children’s shoes. “Hattie, go with her. Once the two of you have relieved yourselves of our purchases, return, and we’ll get some more!”

Hattie realized the woman had been using her first name all day. “More? Mrs. Pettigrew, you’ve already bought several dresses for Esther, as well as outfits for Carson. Not to mention hats, coats, scarves, mittens…”

“And now the little dears need shoes, socks, and let me see…” She turned to the children. “Some toys?”

Esther looked like she might faint. “Toys?” she breathed, her eyes wide. She spun to Hattie, her blonde curls bouncing. “May we, Hattie? It’s been so long…”

Hattie tried not to drop anything as she carefully patted her shoulder. “You can have one.”

Esther’s eyes widened at something behind Hattie, and she quickly straightened. Mrs. Pettigrew was holding up a hand, fingers spread wide.

“Five?!”

The regal woman shrugged. “It will save us a return trip, and they have a lovely toy selection here.”

Hattie adjusted the packages in her arms. “Please, I—”

Mrs. Pettigrew’s hand landed gently on her shoulder. “Calm yourself, ma petite. All is well, and I want to do this.”

Hattie forced a nod. She had met Holly Turtledove and Chastity Eastwick at breakfast. Both had once been assistants to Mrs. Pettigrew but were now engaged. That didn’t mean they no longer worked for her; the woman had sent them off on errands, and their betrothed had accompanied them. Did they go through this? What had the woman bought for them? Did they owe her?

“You don’t have to be on your guard every moment, ma petite,” Mrs. Pettigrew said gently. “Enjoy the outing.” She led the children to another display of shoes and began to speak with a salesman. His eyes bulged when she told him her name, and he hurried off to fetch his superior—just as the other clerks had when they learned who she was.

The head clerk of the shoe department rushed over, bowed, and smiled so wide Hattie thought his face might crack. He catered to Mrs. Pettigrew’s every whim and then some.

Hattie watched in fascination at first, then realized it was all about money. The salesclerks were likely hoping for a hefty tip.

She glanced at a display of shoes. “I don’t know this world…”

“You can learn it.”

Hattie jumped and spun around, her packages tumbling to the floor. “Mr. Forsythe!” She swallowed and smoothed the front of her pale blue coat. It matched her dress, hat, and gloves perfectly. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

He smiled, bent down, and began picking up packages. “I stopped by Mrs. Pettigrew’s, and Mrs. Fraser told me you were here. Rather than wait, I thought I’d join you.”

Hattie knelt to help. “I’m terribly sorry. I’m clumsy.”

“I startled you.”

She looked up, meeting his gaze, and noticed his beautiful blue eyes. Not that she hadn’t noticed their color before, but today…

He rose, the packages in his arms, and smiled warmly. “I see Mrs. Pettigrew is having a good time.” He nodded toward her and the children. “And so are Esther and Carson.”

Still bent over, Hattie glanced at her stepsiblings. She had never seen Esther and Carson so happy. She stood. “Yes, she’s been getting them a few things.”

Mr. Forsythe laughed and lifted the packages higher in his arms. “I see that.”

Do you have a favorite place to shop that has an interesting history? Remember the old Woolworth stores? What about Lipman’s? Where did your grandparents or great grandparents shop that you still shop at today? I’m giving away one free ebook copy of Mrs. Pettigrew’s Valentine’s Match once it releases to one lucky commenter!