Heritage Christmas Open House at Allison-Antrim Museum

by Janet Pollard | Nov 22, 2017 | Blog

Allison-Antrim Museum will participate in Greencastle’s first evening of Heritage Christmas on Friday, December 1, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm.  Members of the board of directors will be hosts and hostesses.  Weather permitting, luminaries will guide the way to the front-door entrance.

In the historic 1860 home, we welcome mother and daughter, Pat and Victoria Beard, Greencastle-Antrim natives.  Pat is an artisan, weaver, and musician, and is very involved in 42 West ARTS Co-op, an art and craft co-operative gallery at 42 West Main Street, Waynesboro, which features the work of artists and craftsmen from the greater-Waynesboro area.   Victoria graduated from Greencastle-Antrim High School and is an attorney and musician. Pat and Victoria will play a variety of music from the Civil-War era in the large parlor of the historic Museum house to welcome guests, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served in the Museum house.

In the German Bank Barn between 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm, Susan Shaffer, owner of Joyful Arts Studio, 21 E Baltimore St, Greencastle, will lead guests during a come-and-go evening of painting a take-home Christmas ornament. All supplies will be provided.  Joyful Arts Studio is taking reservations and payment for making the ornaments at: http://joyfulartstudio.com/ and then click on “Classes” or call 717- 658-2177.

How might your ancestors have celebrated the Christmas holiday during the American Civil War?  To find out, visit the historic 1860 museum house which will be decorated as homes would have been during the mid-Victorian period. Della Robbia fruit arrangements in the Victorian concrete urns and transom of the front door will welcome guests.  Roping on the banister, fresh magnolia and boxwood greens, and cedar tree decorated with dried fruit, gilded walnuts, Marzipan fruit candies, gingerbread cookies, antique candle holders, and Civil War flags will take visitors back to a much simpler time. The epergne on the hall table, which was used in the McLaughlin Hotel (the former Antrim House) for their guests during the first half of the 20th century, will be used in a traditional way to display fruit.  Bonnie Shockey, president of the museum, will be dressed in Civil War period attire, as the lady of the house Martha Irwin may have been in 1860.  An 1800s one-horse, drawn sleigh, made in Mercersburg, will be displayed on the kitchen porch.

The dining room, parlors, children’s bedroom, and master bedroom are all furnished with period donations and the floors are covered with oriental rugs, also donations to AAMI.  Upstairs, in the children’s room, are the late 19th century toys that belonged to the Carl family, of Carl’s Drug Store.  The Carl family toys are made of tin, wood, cardboard, papier-mâché, and plaster of Paris.  Antique dolls are also displayed.  Light refreshments will be served to museum visitors in both the house.  Experience this historic Civil-War era home after dusk in the low light of the evening.

December’s special rotating exhibit will be the collection of vintage boyhood toys, from the 1930s, that belonged to the late James H. Craig Jr., D.D.S. who passed away September 19, 2017.  Dr. Craig was a director on the board of Allison-Antrim Museum for 17 years, beginning January 2000.   The exhibit will be displayed in the South Exhibit Bay in the German bank barn from Friday, December 2 and will close on December 24.

Allison-Antrim Museum is open regularly Tuesday through Friday, from noon to 4 pm, and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  It is closed for all major holidays.

For more information, please visit the museum’s website at www.greencastlemusem.org, Facebook, and on Twitter @greencastlemuzm, or call 717-597-9010.  There is no charge for admission but donations are greatly accepted.