1797 Ezekiel Harris House

1797 Ezekiel Harris House Visit the Augusta area’s five house museums for a celebration of the sights, sounds and tastes of the holiday season. Historic Holiday Candlelight Tour: Augusta’s Christmas Traditions will take place on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5 from 5-9 pm and on Sunday, December 6 from 1-5 pm.

Tickets are $15 for... adults and $7 for students K-12. Children under age 5 are admitted for free. Purchase tickets in advance at Historic Augusta, Inc., 415 Seventh Street, or at Charleston Street Fine Flowers and Events, 449 Highland Avenue. During the tour, tickets may be purchased at all of the five house museums. Tour the sites in any order. Tickets are valid all three tour days. Proceeds will benefit the museums on tour.

Each of the sites will present special tours based on a particular time period. Highlights of the program include:

1797 Ezekiel Harris House – 1822 Broad Street, Augusta, Georgia
Experience yesterday today by visiting the 1797 Ezekiel Harris House to find out what life was like during the Federal Period in Georgia. Guides will acquaint you with typical holiday traditions of the period including the use of holly and other evergreens as holiday decorations. As an additional treat you will have the chance to play The Twelve Days of Christmas as a “memory and forfeits” game. Owned by Augusta-Richmond County and operated by the Augusta Museum of History.

Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson – 419 Seventh Street, Augusta, Georgia
The year is 1913 and Woodrow Wilson is President of the United States. Follow Reverend or Mrs. Sevier, occupants of Wilson’s childhood home in that year, as they recount how the Wilsons celebrated the holidays both then, and as a child 50 years earlier. Sample refreshments which were on the menu at President Wilson’s first diplomatic dinner. The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson will be decorated as it might have been in 1913 with the assistance of Greg Boulus of Charleston Street Fine Flowers and Events and Laurie Montgomery. Owned and operated by Historic Augusta, Inc.

Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History – 1116 Phillips Street, Augusta, Georgia
The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History is proud to present special guest Lucille Laney Floyd, god-daughter of Lucy Craft Laney. Celebrating her 95th birthday, she holds a wealth of knowledge about Lucy Laney and the Haines Institute that all should hear. She will be joined by several others including Ruth Crawford, friend and classmate of Frank Yerby. Local choirs singing Christmas carols and spirituals will set the holiday mood during tours of the museum. Owned and operated by Delta House, Inc.

Meadow Garden: Home of George Walton – 1320 Independence Drive, Augusta, Georgia
Meadow Garden will continue its tradition of providing entertainment in the Heritage Education Center during the tour. Friday evening will feature the Savannah River Hammers, a group playing Christmas carols and traditional music on dulcimers. On Saturday there will be a group providing accordion music. On Sunday, the Stars and Stripes Puppeteers of Canton, GA will present shows at 1:30 and 2:30 about the development of the American flag. Period refreshments will be served on all three days. Owned and operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Georgia State Society.

Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site – 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island, South Carolina
For the 2009 holiday season the halls at Redcliffe will be decked with tinsel and lights as we celebrate an early 20th century Christmas. Discover the magic of the holidays as observed by the third and fourth generation of the Hammond family as your guide relates first-hand accounts of actual Christmas celebrations, shows off 1920’s era holiday decorations and more! Owned and operated by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Historic Holiday Candlelight Tour: Augusta’s Christmas Traditions is sponsored in part by The Augusta Chronicle, Red Door Designs, Advanced Services Pest Control, CertaPro Painters, Phoenix Printing and Windsor Jewelers.