Life of the Party
The Harris family frequently hosted opulent parties such as the event on the night of the heist following the Fighting Illini's victory. Reflecting the wealth and status of its owners, the events hosted at the mansion were luxurious. On the night of November 9, 1929, there were approximately 60 guests in attendance at the Harris Mansion party. The guests included many well-known locals of Urbana-Champaign as well as notable guests from Chicago and across the Midwest, as the Illinois-Army game earlier in the day drew many notable out-of-towners into Champaign.
Collection of Men and Women's clothing from the late 1920s-1930s
The guests in attendance at such events would have been dressed in clothing like the garments featured here. While these garments were not taken from the Harris crime scene, these fine pieces of clothing reflec the styles that would have been flaunted by the well-to-do partygoers of the late 1920s in Champaign, displaying the styles that reflect the glitz and glamor of 1920s in America for the upper class. The styles of the wealthy guests of the Harris House parties would have featured the fine materials pictures here such as furs, silk, and fine jewels, making them the ideal target for such a grand robbery later in the night.