The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Century Village provides peek at holidays past
History museum offers tour of homes amid yuletide preparations
A passion for the past brought Alesha Olvera to Century Village in Burton for the first time.
The Perry Township resident happened to see a Facebook post about the new Christmas at Century Village event — Nov. 25 and 26 — and made the trip with her family. The program enabled guests to tour historic homes on the property while volunteers portrayed the occupants preparing for the season.
“We love the 19th century,” Olvera said. “I really enjoyed it. It’s amazing that people still value history enough to put something like this on. You can tell how much work went into this.”
In the past, during Thanksgiving weekend, one of the homes at Century Village Museum was decorated for Christmas and opened to visitors, who learn about the actual family that lived there.
“We didn’t want visitors to look at the homes at Christmas, we wanted visitors to visit with the families in the homes getting ready for Christmas,” said museum volunteer Judi Maloney, who helped put on the program. “This is a living history event. When guests walk into the Cook home, the year is 1860, and guests (are) interacting with the Cook family and their out-of-town relatives.”
After visiting the Cooks, attendees were taken over to the Boughton home, where the year was 1875. “Mrs. Boughton” and her husband shared family history and handed out small gifts to children that were hanging on their Christmas tree.
The third stop on the tour was the Hickox Brick, where the year was 1900. While there, carolers came by and led the tour over to the church to hear Christmas carols, sung beautifully by volunteer Jeral Hurd of Middlefield Township.
“I started here as a tour guide,” he said.
A stop also was made at the Umberfield Cabin, where a Christmas story was read by another volunteer in period costume.
In the basement of the church, refreshments were served and children could participate in making paper snowflakes.
“Kids don’t get to do stuff like this anymore,” Olvera said.
Horse-drawn wagon rides were offered as well. Tickets were $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-12, and admission was free for members and those 5 and under.
“This is a familyfriendly event that is different from other Christmas events being offered in the area,” Maloney said.
Cleveland resident Ryan Kane attended with family members who live in Geauga County.
“I really liked the realness of the characters,” he said. “I thought it was informative, educational and filled with a lot of fun facts.
“It was a beautiful day out, and I think it was money well-spent with family.”
“This is a family-friendly event that is different from other Christmas events being offered in the area.” — Museum volunteer Judi Maloney