Disguises are on display in The Brown House’s new exhibit about the lady detectives of the Pinkerton Agency. The deeds of Kate Warne and other “Lady Pinks” are brought to life through props and posters throughout the room. Visitors can try on costumes and decode messages in the exhibit through Wednesday, March 26. 

Pull out a magnifying glass and examine all the details of The Brown House Visitor Center’s latest exhibits. 

“The Ladies of the Pinkerton Detective Agency” and “Trains, Time and Telegraphs” can be explored through Wednesday, March 26. 

As the wheels of a toy train glide around a track in the corner, exhibit viewers can take in information on “trains, time and telegraphs” in the form of props and posters around the room. Tracy Lawson, curator, shared that the transcontinental railroad influenced the speed and accuracy of timekeeping and communication.

“When people traveled by horse and wagon, it didn’t really matter what time it was,” she said, “but, just like the math story problem Gen X sweated over in elementary school, if two trains leave stations in two different towns, when will they collide?”

The Brown House’s exhibit brings this period of innovation to life with props such as a conductor’s watch and examples of railway uniforms.

“I enjoy the hands-on elements of both exhibits,” Lawson said. After learning about railroad communication, visitors can take on the role of a telegraph operator and test their Morse Code skills on an antique Santa Fe Railroad telegraph key. 

In “The Ladies of the Pinkerton Detective Agency” exhibit, visitors can learn how to write and decode secret messages, and young detectives can create disguises by mixing and matching costume pieces from the “Grandma’s Attic” chest. 

The exhibit features the stories of several women who became true masters of disguise during their time with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Lawson was inspired to make the exhibit after seeing a Facebook post about Kate Warne, the first female detective of the Pinkerton Agency.

“I thought it was interesting, and it fit within our preferred time period,” Lawson said. “I love getting to shed light on women who were forerunners in their fields and who did unusual or courageous things.”

Along with detailed profiles of some of the “Lady Pinks,” visitors will learn what a real detective of the Victorian era would have used to solve cases and protect the innocent.

“Spying and detective work portrayed on TV and in movies is full of glamour and high-tech gadgets,” Lawson said. “Spying in the mid-1800s was remarkably low-tech.”

Visit the two exhibits at 301 North Ballard Avenue before their time ticks away. More information can be found at wylietexas.gov/facilities/brown_house/.

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By Allison LaBrot | [email protected]