This is a portrait of Isabella Ann Alden painted shortly after her marriage to Thomas Burke. She was only seventeen when she was dragged to the alter. However, her marriage did not last for long, Burke committed her to an asylum a few short months after the vows had been exchanged, in an attempt to punish her for her lack of obedience.
It was in this dress Isabella Alden was married. It belonged to her mother. Because of limited amounts of time before the ceremony, Alden wore few new clothes and donned many heirlooms unused by even her mother. In a rush to come up with a hefty dowry, many of the gifts given to the Burke family were actually antiques, and not cash
This is the Methodist Church Alden attended while living in Colonial Litchfield, Connecticut. She was supposed to be buried here, and her parents had had her headstone in place in the cemetery for a long time as a part of the Alden family plot. However, upon her disappearance the headstone was kept in the ground, as a reminder to all of the rebellious women in the town never to stray from their traditional place in the home and society
This is the spot where Isabella Ann Alden was actually buried. It is a small, uninhabited patch of land right outside of Franklinton. It is very symbolic of her life, because the headstone stands alone. This is what she desired, and her wishes were carried out by some close friends and accomplices.
This was the bedroom Alden shared with Thomas Burke until he committed her. She later escaped from the asylum, and broke into her old home, stole all of his saved money from the cabinet on the left, enabling her to flee the town. The baby cradle was taken out of the room after she was committed, all hopes of adding to the family being dashed by his cruel punishment.