A fitted bodice that survived mining camps in Mexico. A Budweiser swimsuit worn by a 19-time Hermosa Ironman champion. A 1917 wedding dress that outlasted the bride, her husband, and their only child.

These are some of the garments on display in "Threads of Time," the Hermosa Beach Museum's new exhibit exploring the city's history through clothing worn by 10 local women. The exhibit opened Friday, June 26, and runs through Friday, October 23, at 710 Pier Ave. inside the Community Center.

A trunk full of history

The exhibit's oldest piece is a bodice dating to approximately 1884–1885, once belonging to Olive Genevieve Parker. Parker's stepfather, William C. McDonald, became New Mexico's first governor in 1912. Before settling in Hermosa Beach in the 1920s, Parker traveled through mining camps in Mexico and Texas.

"It's really quite amazing that through all of those journeys she held on to this bodice, and it made it here to the museum," said Jamie Erickson, executive director of the Hermosa Beach Museum.

The bodice arrived in a trunk donated to the Hermosa Beach Historical Society in 1987 by the Kemp family. One of Parker's daughters had married into the family. That same trunk held other pieces now on display, including a 1917 wedding dress belonging to Mabel Besant Marple. Erickson said Marple outlived her only child and husband; the dress is believed to have passed through Marple's sister to the Kemp family.

Swimsuits, skateboards, and city hall

Not every garment is a century old. Annie Seawright-Newton's Budweiser swimsuit represents a different slice of Hermosa history. Seawright-Newton first entered the Hermosa Beach Ironman in 1993 as the only woman in the competition and has won 19 times since. The Ironman requires a one-mile run, a one-mile paddle, and chugging a six-pack of beer. A friend's girlfriend who worked for Budweiser gave Seawright-Newton the suit; she wore it for two or three years in the mid-1990s.

The exhibit also features an outfit from skateboarding icon Cindy Whitehead, workwear from longtime city employee Ann Yang, and a 1980s coat worn by Dorothy Courtney, a founder of the Richstone Family Center.

Three of the 10 garments come from the museum's permanent collection. A pop-up display featuring additional bathing suits is planned for mid-August, according to Erickson.

How to visit

According to the museum's website, hours are Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is at 710 Pier Ave. inside the Hermosa Beach Community Center.

The museum's next event is the HB Iron Man Photo Contest & Afterparty on Friday, July 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. Photo submissions are due by Tuesday, July 14, to [email protected].