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Time is running out to experience First Comes Love: Courtship in the Victorian Era at Heritage House. This exhibition closes Sunday, June 29, with the Heritage House season. Don't miss your opportunity to explore the complexities, customs, and quiet rebellions of Victorian romance with a free tour of Heritage House.
From handwritten love letters and secret messages hidden in fans to silk wedding dresses and early romance novels, First Comes Love invites visitors into a world where affection was coded, courtship was public, and the pursuit of love began to take precedence over social obligation.
Set within the elegant rooms of Heritage House, the exhibition reflects changing roles for women in the late 19th century. Built by widow Catharine Bettner in 1891, the house itself stands as a symbol of female autonomy and resilience during a time of rigid social norms.
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Visitors can follow a special exhibition icon throughout the home. |
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Highlights include:
- A silk wedding gown and floral wreath
- 19th-century love songs and duet scores
- An early edition of Jane Eyre
- Sentimental tokens like lace fans, lockets, and perfume bottles
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Whether you’re drawn to the history of romance or the stories of women quietly reshaping society, First Comes Love offers an intimate, powerful journey through the past.
Extend your visit with an evening concert in the gardens of Heritage House on Saturday, June 28, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Enjoy a summer evening on the lawn as the Mission Philharmonic woodwind quintet performs romantic favorites and modern love songs. This event is free and family-friendly.
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Heritage House will reopen after Labor Day with a new exhibition, Quackery & Cures in the Victorian Age, exploring the risky remedies and medical curiosities of the 19th century. On view September 5 through November 23, 2025. |
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