At this 1893 garden party in East Boothbay, guests are wearing costumes belonging to their hostess, actress Marie Bockel.

After an illustrious career in musical theater, Marie Bockel, with her husband, actor Sam Reed, bought "Appleblossom Farm" in East Boothbay. Here the "former prima donna [made] as much of a success of farming as she had in the theater." (Interview given by her husband in 1906 to a reporter in California.) One afternoon in 1893 Mrs. Reed gave a garden party at her home in East Boothbay, where her guests dressed in some of her stage costumes. The ladies pictured are (in front) Miss Ida Reed (Mr. Sam Reed's sister), Mrs. Bertha Blackford of Gloucester, MA., Mrs. Andrew Adams of East Boothbay, and Mrs. Sam Reed (Marie Bockel). In back are Laura Murray McKown, Miss Genie Sawyer, Mrs. George Murray, Mrs. J.L. Montgomery of Boothbay Harbor, Mrs. Albra Reed of Andover, MA., and Mrs. Mackey of New York (Mrs. Reed's friend).

Marie Bockel was born Marie Schroeder in Germany and came to Iowa as a child with her parents.