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Holiday Season at Hill House Kicks Off with Gilded Age Christmas Tour

Holiday programs get underway at the James J. Hill House on Dec. 5 with the beginning of the popular "Hill House Holidays" tour. In addition to exploring Christmas during the Gilded Age, a time of opulence in late 19th-century and early 20th-century America that coincided with great population growth, other historically based programs celebrate the season.

• Hill House Holidays
  Dates: Dec. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27
  Time: 1-3:30 p.m., groups begin every 30 minutes
  The bustle and excitement of a Gilded Age Christmas is brought to life as costumed actors portray servants of the James J. Hill House preparing for the holidays. The one-hour program moves through the elegant first floor spaces and then to the basement servant work areas. The script is based on letters and oral histories of people who worked for the Hill family during the first decade of the twentieth century.
  Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members.
  
  
• Recreating an Early Twin Cities Christmas
  Date: Dec. 8
  Time: 7 p.m.
  Historian James Neagbour presents his popular illustrated talk on the history of Christmas celebrations in the Twin Cities from 1850 to 1940. The one hour talk will include comparisons, some surprising, to traditions, decorations, gifts and the preparation of Christmas dinner today. Light refreshments (coffee, cider, Christmas cookies—including Mrs. Hill’s own shortbread recipe) and tours of the Hill House will follow. The 12’ balsam Christmas tree will be decorated with ornaments from the early 1900s, recreated by Neagbour and others.
  Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members.
  
  
• Victorian Christmas Stories
  Dates: Dec. 20, 27
  Time: 6 p.m.
  Costumed actors Craig Johnson and Kirby Bennett bring 19th-century Christmas traditions to life with warmth and humor in this readers theatre performance of holiday stories, including works by Mark Twain, Willa Cather, O. Henry’s "Gift of the Magi," and selections from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." The performers will discuss the rapid development of Christmas traditions—including Christmas literature—during the nineteenth century. Admission to the one-hour program includes light refreshments and tours of the Hill House, decorated for the holidays.
  Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children age 17 and under; $2 discount for MHS members.
  
  
• A Story Time Tour
  Date: Dec. 29, 2009
  Time: 10 a.m.
  Take a special tour of the James J. Hill House designed for younger visitors while enjoying popular turn-of-the-century children's stories. Listen to well-known works such as "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and lesser-known stories like "Why Evergreens Never Lose Their Leaves." This one-hour program is designed for pre-school through 1st grade children accompanied by an adult.
  Fee: $5, $3 for MHS members.
  
  
• Art Explorers: Angels and Dragons
  Date: Dec. 29
  Time: 1 p.m.
  Young artists and their families are invited to explore art in the Hill House, focusing on the many creatures found throughout the home, including cherubs, dragons and more. Following the tour, children will create their own artwork inspired by the creatures. The art work will be arranged into a show for participants to enjoy before bringing their completed artworks home. The tour is designed for children ages 7 to 12, accompanied by an adult. All supplies are included with admission.
  Fee: $6, $4 for MHS members.
  

Reservations are recommended for all special events, call 651-297-2555. Sorry library passes are not accepted.

Completed in 1891, the Gilded Age mansion was the residence of James J. Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway, and his family. The home is located one-half block west of the Cathedral of St. Paul at 240 Summit Avenue. It is open for regular tours year-round, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sundays. Reservations are recommended. For more information, call 651-297-2555.

The Society’s calendar of events is posted on the Internet at events.mnhs.org/calendar. The web site also has information about all of the Society’s programs, museums and historic sites. To request a free guide to museums and historic sites, call 1-800-657-3773.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849 to preserve and share Minnesota history. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing.

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