A young Harry McElroy poses in a studio portrait from around 1865. Harry was the son of Olympia’s first newspaper publisher, Thornton McElroy. Until the early 20th century, it was customary for young boys to be dressed in skirts or dresses until they were “breeched” at around age 3 or 4.
ca. 1885 photo, courtesy Washington State Historical Society, catalog 2012.0.275
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2019