Comfort and Joy: Christmas in Olde New England
Saturday, November 30 at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM
Saturday, December 7, 14, 21 and 23 at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM
“…the coal & wood are still burning warmly and tempt me to sit awhile longer…”
~ Anne Longfellow Pierce in a letter to her sister Mary on December 24, 1850
Looking to warm your hands and your heart this season? Keep a cozy and very merry holiday with us at MHS! Tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, fitted with the trimmings of a 19th century Christmas and learn about the New England holiday traditions of long ago. What yummy treats might the Longfellows have enjoyed this time of year? Did they hang stockings for St. Nicholas on Christmas eve? What games did they play and which songs did they sing? After touring the house, stop by our museum shop to find unique gifts for everyone on your list and receive a 10% discount on your purchases!
Tickets for these special holiday tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House include a guided tour of house. Tours are limited to 12 guests, will last approximately 45 minutes, and will depart from the Museum Store at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM on Saturday, November 30 and Saturday, December 7, 14, and 21. Ticketholders will receive a 10% coupon good towards any purchases they make in the Museum Store on the day of their visit.
Cost: $15 adults; $5 for 17 years old and younger, free for guests under 5; free for MHS members
Location: Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress Street, Portland.
Holiday time in the Old Port is the place to be! Explore the Old Port and downtown Portland’s rich history and places of interest from 1632 in this 2 ½ hour, 2-mile, exciting walking tour and historical adventure for all members of the family! We will begin our tour in the center of Monument Square, directly in front of the gorgeous City of Portland’s Official Holiday Tree, to discuss the origins of the Christmas Tree and the first Christmas celebrated in America. During the tour we will discover over 50 historic stops, visit the magical Lobster Trap Tree in the heart of the Old Port, and hear the story of Charles Dickens bizarre visit to Portland. At the end of the tour, we will visit the outside of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous home (the oldest home on the Portland peninsula) where you’ll hear the history of his famous poem Christmas Bells. Don’t miss it!
Public tours will run every weekend from December 7th through December 21st. Tour starts at 11AM and finishes approximately at 1:30PM. Advanced tickets required at ticketmaster/ticketweb. $45 per ticket. Kids 6 and under are free.
Private tours and special group rates are available by emailing [email protected]. If you would like to speak with your tour guide for any questions, please email or call Leigh directly at 646-845-9714.
Leigh Rush Olson, your tour guide and founder of Old Port Historic Tours, holds a BA in History from CUNY Brooklyn College and is a certified Portland History Docent. Moreover, Leigh is a Portland native and a resident of Kennebunk, Maine. You’re in good hands! Click here for more background about Leigh.
Holiday time in the Old Port is the place to be! Explore the Old Port and downtown Portland’s rich history and places of interest from 1632 in this 2 ½ hour, 2-mile, exciting walking tour and historical adventure for all members of the family! We will begin our tour in the center of Monument Square, directly in front of the gorgeous City of Portland’s Official Holiday Tree, to discuss the origins of the Christmas Tree and the first Christmas celebrated in America. During the tour we will discover over 50 historic stops, visit the magical Lobster Trap Tree in the heart of the Old Port, and hear the story of Charles Dickens bizarre visit to Portland. At the end of the tour, we will visit the outside of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous home (the oldest home on the Portland peninsula) where you’ll hear the history of his famous poem Christmas Bells. Don’t miss it!
Public tours will run every weekend from December 7th through December 21st. Tour starts at 11AM and finishes approximately at 1:30PM. Advanced tickets required at ticketmaster/ticketweb. $45 per ticket. Kids 6 and under are free.
Private tours and special group rates are available by emailing [email protected]. If you would like to speak with your tour guide for any questions, please email or call Leigh directly at 646-845-9714.
Leigh Rush Olson, your tour guide and founder of Old Port Historic Tours, holds a BA in History from CUNY Brooklyn College and is a certified Portland History Docent. Moreover, Leigh is a Portland native and a resident of Kennebunk, Maine. You’re in good hands! Click here for more background about Leigh.
Comfort and Joy: Christmas in Olde New England
Saturday, November 30 at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM
Saturday, December 7, 14, 21 and 23 at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM
“…the coal & wood are still burning warmly and tempt me to sit awhile longer…”
~ Anne Longfellow Pierce in a letter to her sister Mary on December 24, 1850
Looking to warm your hands and your heart this season? Keep a cozy and very merry holiday with us at MHS! Tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House, fitted with the trimmings of a 19th century Christmas and learn about the New England holiday traditions of long ago. What yummy treats might the Longfellows have enjoyed this time of year? Did they hang stockings for St. Nicholas on Christmas eve? What games did they play and which songs did they sing? After touring the house, stop by our museum shop to find unique gifts for everyone on your list and receive a 10% discount on your purchases!
Tickets for these special holiday tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House include a guided tour of house. Tours are limited to 12 guests, will last approximately 45 minutes, and will depart from the Museum Store at 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM on Saturday, November 30 and Saturday, December 7, 14, and 21. Ticketholders will receive a 10% coupon good towards any purchases they make in the Museum Store on the day of their visit.
Cost: $15 adults; $5 for 17 years old and younger, free for guests under 5; free for MHS members
Location: Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress Street, Portland.
Holiday time in the Old Port is the place to be! Explore the Old Port and downtown Portland’s rich history and places of interest from 1632 in this 2 ½ hour, 2-mile, exciting walking tour and historical adventure for all members of the family! We will begin our tour in the center of Monument Square, directly in front of the gorgeous City of Portland’s Official Holiday Tree, to discuss the origins of the Christmas Tree and the first Christmas celebrated in America. During the tour we will discover over 50 historic stops, visit the magical Lobster Trap Tree in the heart of the Old Port, and hear the story of Charles Dickens bizarre visit to Portland. At the end of the tour, we will visit the outside of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous home (the oldest home on the Portland peninsula) where you’ll hear the history of his famous poem Christmas Bells. Don’t miss it!
Public tours will run every weekend from December 7th through December 21st. Tour starts at 11AM and finishes approximately at 1:30PM. Advanced tickets required at ticketmaster/ticketweb. $45 per ticket. Kids 6 and under are free.
Private tours and special group rates are available by emailing [email protected]. If you would like to speak with your tour guide for any questions, please email or call Leigh directly at 646-845-9714.
Leigh Rush Olson, your tour guide and founder of Old Port Historic Tours, holds a BA in History from CUNY Brooklyn College and is a certified Portland History Docent. Moreover, Leigh is a Portland native and a resident of Kennebunk, Maine. You’re in good hands! Click here for more background about Leigh.