It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society. This week’s image is a childhood portrait of Vernon Rieder from the society’s collection of children’s photos. The photo is probably from around 1900 and depicts the child in a full “Little Lord Fauntleroy” costume. The book by the same name was highly popular in the late 19th century and illustrations of the main character dressed like this were widely circulated. Turn-of-the-20th-century mothers loved dressing their boys in these costumes with ruffled shirts and bows, but whether the boys liked it is questionable. Here, Vernon may be just trying to stay still for the photo, but we would like to think he was not happy in this get-up.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(0116P, Whitewater Historical Society)