Auroraadvocate.com - Kaleidoscope: Check out mansions, events over holidays

by Ken Lahmers

Editor

The year-end holidays are a busy time for Americans everywhere, as they try to balance their work schedules, shopping and leisuretime activities.

Sometimes it's impossible for people to set aside a day for a short trip to see some of the unique things associated with the season.

But for those of you who can find time, I have some suggestions how to spend it.

Last holiday season I wrote a "Kaleidoscope" about my visits to Stan Hywet Hall in Akron and the J.E. Reeves mansion in Dover. They are two great places to visit anytime, and especially over the holidays.

Over Thanksgiving, I found a really neat out-of-the-way old home to check out -- the Victorian House in Millersburg.

If you're headed to Holmes County's Amish country to find unique gifts for holiday giving, area residents might enjoy visiting the Victorian House, a real gem.

The 28-room, Queen Anne-style house was built in 1902 by Cleveland industrialist L.H. Brightman, who moved to Millersburg that year.

In 1907, it served as a sanitarium and in 1909 businessman H.C. Lee bought it. His youngest daughter lived there until 1971, and the following year the Holmes County Historical Society acquired it.

The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rooms contain antiques provided by Holmes Countians, and is really decked out for the holidays.

Each room features a different theme. One is set up as an old law office, one as a medical/dental office, one houses old military uniforms and memorabilia from the Civil to Vietnam wars and one houses an American Red Cross exhibit.

A white oak staircase immediately catches visitors' eyes as they enter the front door. It has 78 hand-turned spindles and carved acorn finials. It was designed in Europe, transported and assembled in the house.

An adjoining parlor has a gorgeous hand-painted ceiling with original plaster roses. There are four fireplaces, tiles for which were imported from Trent, England. No two are alike.

There is a beautiful ballroom on the third floor, and oak, cherry and walnut parquet flooring are abundant. An artificial Christmas tree adorns the turret room.

The structure/museum also features original ornate gas/electric chandeliers, leaded stained-glass windows, fancy woodwork, carved furnishings and rich fabrics.

In the basement are the original boiler/furnace, which no longer provides heat for the home, old steel hand tools, a summer kitchen and an old-fashioned sauna bath.

Priceless antiques fill the house, including an 1860 wooden sette, several old pianos and organs, typewriters from the early 1900s, antique glassware and sliding "sandwich" doors.

Homes closer to home

One of Cleveland's holiday traditions in recent years is the "A Christmas Story" house, where the movie of the same name was filmed. It's at 3159 W. 11th St.

It's open year-round, but the holidays are the best time to visit. It features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, and hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos.

This year, the house has gone Griswold. It is bedecked with 25,000 twinkle lights to celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation," starring Chevy Chase.

The house's gift shop is selling replica moose mugs like the ones Clark Griswold and Cousin Eddie used for a toast. The house is open until 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays so visitors can enjoy the lights.

In addition to Stan Hywet, Akron offers the 28-room Hower House at 60 Fir House near the university, which is now transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland.

Festive wintery decorations are featured until Dec. 27, with visitors treated to wassail and cookies. Horse and carriage rides will be available Dec. 13.

On the west side of Akron, the 14-room Perkins Stone Mansion, built in 1837, will host Home for the Holidays Dec. 6-7 and 13-14.

One of Ohio's finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, the mansion was built by the son of Akron founder Gen. Simon Perkins. Restoration of the interior was completed in 1986.

For the past three years, professional interior designers have transformed each of the rooms into a holiday theme on behalf of a local charity. The mansion is at Copley Road and South Portage Path.

Candlelight tours of the Hay-McKinney Mansion at the Western Reserve Historical Society on University Circle will be Dec. 3 and 10. The turn of the 20th century mansion is adorned for the season.

Down in Canton, the Saxton-McKinley House (National First Ladies Library), built from 1841 to 1865, will offer "Christmas at the White House" Dec. 12-15.

The program is a historic peek at White House Christmases from the periods of Abigail Adams to Michelle Obama.

Many other activities

Northeast Ohio offers many special events during the holidays. It's impossible to list every one, but I'll mention a few.

The second of two Country Hearth Weekends will be Dec. 5-6 in Burton. A number of activities are planned Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Christmas in Zoar is a really neat event Dec. 5-6 in the historic village in northern Tuscarawas County. Included are tours of five homes, Santa's workshop, town criers, musical performers, luminary-lined streets, horse-drawn wagon rides and artisans and crafters.

Country Lights is Dec. 4-23 at Lake Farmpark near Kirtland. Wagon rides take visitors through a winter wonderland of 250,000 lights. A miniature train winds through a village and toymaking takes place in Santa's workshop.

Those who wish to venture a little further away can visit the spectacular Holiday Lights at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, W.Va. There's also Nela Park's light display in East Cleveland, a tradition since 1925.

Spring Walk Farm near the small village of Nashville in western Holmes County features a quarter-mile stetch of holiday inflatables and thousands of lights and decorations, some of which are animated.

The farm is on Township Road 503 just east of Route 514 -- far from the hustle and bustle of urban and suburban "holiday hot spots."

WinterShow runs through Jan. 3 at Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and a Winter Lights Lantern Festival is offered Dec. 4-13 on Wade Oval. There are skating rinks at Wade Oval and Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron.

From Dec. 4-27, Lolly the Trolley offers "Tinsel, Tales and Trees" and "Silver Bells" tours of downtown Cleveland. The Burton Library displays locally made gingerbred houses.

Decorated trees are on display throughout December at Big Creek Park in Geauga County, and Hale Farm-Village in Bath offers its Yule Log Celebration Dec. 3 and lantern tours Dec. 4-5, 11-12 and 18-23.

Hudson's annual Holiday Walk is Dec. 6. The same day Holmes County offers a Christmas cookie tour of 10 festively-decorated inns and beds and breakfasts.

Christmas in Bedford Falls is Dec. 12 in Bedford, and a winter solstice candlelight walk is Dec. 21 at the Rookery near Fowlers Mill Golf Course in Geauga County.

Seventy decorated holiday trees are displayed at the Cleveland Play House on Euclid Avenue until Dec. 31

Musical and theatrical performances abound, including Cleveland Orchestra holiday concerts at Severance Hall, and "A Christmas Story," "A Christmas Carol," "The Nutcracker," "Radio City Spectacular" and "It's a Wonderful Life" at various venues.

E-mail:

klahmers@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3155