Ocean Waves Quilt
Made by unknown member of the Murphy or Bryant family
c. 1880-1920
Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan
Wool with wool filling
79” x 81”
MSUM 5968.1, Gift of Dorothy Murphy
Photo by KEVA, all rights reserved Michigan State University Museum

According to the donor, both this quilt and one similar to it were made by her husband’s relatives who hailed from Cornwall, England. The mining industry in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula brought many Cornish workers who are also credited with bringing with them the tradition of making pasties, now a fixture of Michigan’s cuisine. Heavy, wool, tied quilts with wool filling were typical of those made in or brought to this northern region.