Sample Drawings from the John Gus Hines Collection

John Gus Hines worked in Mobile, ca. 1867-1921, as a set designer for various theaters. He also designed and built floats in Mobile and other cities for Mardi Gras parades and other occasions. The Hines collection contains 36 diaries with brief notations of daily activities including remarks about construction of floats, theatrical sets, and other projects. It also contains 126 pen and pencil drawings of Mardi Gras floats for various organizations.

John Gus Hines created the float designs shown above for the Infant Mystics Mardi Gras society. Since Mobile was celebrating its bicentennial in 1911, the parade's theme, "The Founding of Mobile," was very appropriate. Hines drew fourteen float designs in all for this theme. We present five above.