JACKSONVILLE, OR—Experience a Victorian Christmas this holiday season at the historic Beekman House Museum, located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville, Oregon. This early 1870s residence, home to Jacksonville’s wealthiest pioneer family, is decorated for a 19th Century Christmas celebration, and you’re invited to visit. Between 12 noon and 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday from November 27 through December 19, costumed docents will share the Victorian origins of popular Christmas traditions and observances along with stories of Beekman and Jacksonville holiday festivities in the late 1800s.
Beekman House Christmas tours begin every 15 minutes and last about an hour. Tour groups are limited to 6 people. All guests are asked to mask. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made at https://www.historicjacksonville.org/victorian-christmas. Tour admission is $5, paid at the door. Tours are not recommended for children under 6.
Visitors can look for the good luck German pickle ornament on the Christmas tree, learn how Clement Moore and Charles Dickens reinvented the holiday, steal a kiss under the mistletoe, hear about typical Victorian presents the Beekmans exchanged, and sample one of Mrs. Beekman’s sugar cookies.
“Cornelius Beekman’s family was of Dutch ancestry; his wife’s family was German,” points out Carolyn Kingsnorth, President of Historic Jacksonville, Inc., the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides tours, events and programs at the Beekman House and Beeekman Bank. “Their cultures contributed Santa Claus and Christmas trees to our current Christmas traditions. Other pioneers brought the holiday customs of Scandinavia, England, France and eastern Europe, all of which have melded into how we celebrate Christmas today.”
Kingsnorth continues, “We’ll also be hosting Mrs. Beekman’s Christmas Bazaar during tour hours. We have antiques, collectibles, old-fashioned toys, beautiful hand-crafts, holiday items, and so much more thanks to generous community donors. It’s a great opportunity to find a unique Christmas gift. Bazaar admission is free. Proceeds from both the tours and the Bazaar go towards maintenance of Jacksonville’s historic buildings and the programs and events that bring them to life and make them relevant for people today.”
For tour reservations, visit www.historicjacksonville.org/victorian-christmas
For additional information, call 541-245-3650, or e-mail info@historicjacksonville.org.