Abstract:
Dolly Madison, wife of President James Madison, was born in Guilford County, North Carolina. She was a known entertainer, but the origin of her red velvet dress remains a mystery for historians and curators. Some speculate that this dress may be made from the white house curtains, while others think it may have been a separate purchase, The dress has been on display in the National Portrait Gallery and in the Smithsonian, but today it resides in the Greensboro Historical Museum.