Victorian Funeral Exhibit Opens at Root House

During the month of October, visitors to the William Root House, 80 N. Marietta Parkway NW in Marietta, will see the home decorated for a Victorian-era funeral.

In the 1850s, Hannah and William Root shared their home with their children and extended family. Hannah Root’s father, Leonard Simpson, lived with the family and passed away on Oct. 11, 1856.

During this special exhibit, the rooms inside the Root House will be decorated as they would have been following Leonard’s death. Curtains will be drawn and rooms will be adorned with black crepe and ribbons. Visitors will be able to view 19th century embalming equipment, mourning jewelry made from human hair and other curious artifacts related to death and mourning in the Victorian era.

New to the exhibit this year is a 19th century embalming/cooling board. Embalming gained popularity during the Civil War when bodies needed to be transported long distances without decaying. Portable cooling boards were an essential tool of the undertaker.

In the home, cooling boards were often brought to the bedroom of the deceased where the embalming procedure would be performed. This particular cooling board was made in Columbus, Ohio during the late 1800s. It was acquired by the museum from a shuttered funeral home in Madison, Indiana. This unusual piece of funerary history has been restored to show what it would have looked like when it was new.

Admission to the exhibit is included in the cost of regular museum admission. Special flashlight tours will be offered from 5 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 18 and Oct. 25. Flashlight tours are $10 per person. Space is limited. To purchase tickets, visit WilliamRootHouse.com/Funeral .