Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Jacket |
Catalog Number |
1975.007.02 |
Description |
Eloda Beach's cream colored satin and monkey fur jacket. Long black sleek monkey fur is on the collar, the sleeves, as well as hem of the jacket. The collar is black satin that extends down the front of the jacket. There is no closure. The right hand side of the jacket has a hidden pocket with one small satin bow on the top and bottom. There are four sections of square block designs made of black and metallic threads-one is one the bottom left, one is on the center bottom back and then there is one on each sleeve beneath a vertical black band. Cream colored label at interior center of collar with light blue stitching "MME B Tabot Modes 154 W. 45th St. New York" and then written in black on the tag "L313". |
Year Range from |
1926 |
Year Range to |
1929 |
Provenance |
Eloda Beach was an actress. She and her husband, Guy Beach, built the Spanish revival house at 205 Losey Boulevard. This dress was donated by "Baby Eloda" Eloda (Beach) Anderson. Eloda was the adopted daughter of Guy and Eloda Beach. |
Owned By |
Eloda Beach |
Material |
Satin, Monkey Fur |
People |
Beach, Eloda |
Subjects |
Clothing & Accessories "Things that Matter" |
Search Terms |
"Things that Matter" |
Notes |
Looking through New York city directories it was determined that the seamstress from the label was at that address in New York form 1926 until 1929. Featured in Things that Matter: If you look into Eloda Beach’s background, her monkey fur jacket isn’t surprising. It may not be politically correct today, but no one gave furs a second thought in the 1920s – except those who were jealous they did not have a fur. Beach was beloved in La Crosse as a theater star, a celebrity. She lived on the quirky side of life, but had a kind and generous heart. Beach worked as a bicycle messenger for Western Union before becoming an actress. She came to La Crosse to perform in a play during World War I, while her husband, Guy, served in the Army in Europe. After the war, she and her husband decided to make La Crosse their home base for what became the Beach Stock Company. Eloda said the city was the nicest place she had ever lived. The Beaches actually kept monkeys in the garage of their home at 205 Losey Boulevard North. They were used in the Beach Stock Company shows at the Majestic Theater on Main Street. This silk satin evening jacket, trimmed with sleek black monkey fur, was made in New York, and donated to the La Crosse County Historical Society in 1975 by Eloda’s daughter. After her marriage ended in divorce, Eloda sold the North Losey Boulevard house, and moved to Minnesota with her adopted daughter, Eloda Mae. While performing in theater, she met Minnesota state Sen. William Roepke, who she married in 1935, moving with him to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1942. After he died in 1945, she married for a third time, to fellow actor, Addison Aulger, but they soon divorced. After that, she worked in a variety of jobs, including at the Rochester State Hospital, an asylum for patients with mental illness. During her nine years there, she created and ran a recreation program. She later said those years were among the most pleasant in her career. This article was originally published in the La Crosse Tribune. Title: Eloda Beach's Monkey Fur Jacket Author: Susan Hessel Publish Date: May 25, 2019 |