Sunday, December 19, 2010

A Southern Christmas Tradition

One of the ways the Magic City celebrates Christmas is by offering an open house each year at Arlington, the only antebellum home located in the city. The Greek Revival home was build between the years of 1845 and 1850 by Judge William S. Mudd.  It changed hands a number of times, but the home was privately owned until 1953 when it was acquired by the Jefferson County Historical Association.

During the Civil War, the mansion was occupied by Union General James H. Wilson.  He used the location while he planned a raid  to destroy Confederate factories and munitions in Selma, Alabama. Fortunately, the home survived the war intact.

 my mother and sister-in-law 

a bevy of pretty beauties greet us at the front door

The mansion is decorated for the season with greenery, fruit and treats. Downstairs there is a formal parlor, dining room and a smaller sitting room. 

                           
One of my favorite bedrooms is the children's room with its canopied baby bed.

 
There is also a grandmother's room...how thoughtful and so cozy!

The kitchen is detached from the main home....so there is less danger of the home burning down.

 There was a roaring fire in the hearth. The table was set. Gingerbread cookies were on the menu.

Everything was cozy and nice.

20 comments:

  1. I only went there once, as a child. I would be fun to go again...looks so nice, all fixed up for Christmas. Glad y'all got to go!

    And I didn't know it was the only antebellum home there!

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  2. Fun to take a peek at an early furnished house.Imagine they use the house for many events. A historical society's role in a town, state or county is important as they usually archive documents that trace regional history. I find browsing through the documents and talking with the volunteers opens up new areas of interest for me. Thanks for the tour. -- barbara

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  3. How beautiful! And it's amazing that it survived the war.

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  4. What a beautiful house and decorations. Thanks for sharing the it and explaining what and why.

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  5. You might think it strange, but as a young boy growing up many times we would take vacations and tour old mansions. I took a liking to doing this and until this day still do enjoy visits to homes as you have here. Your pictures are so vivid and the girls in full dress adds to the aura of the home. Thanks for sharing and a Very Merry Christmas to you Stevie!
    :) The Bach
    Lord Thomas of Wellington

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  6. Thanks for sharing a southern traditon with all of us. I love looking at all the big southern mansions. I wonder what it would of been like to celebrate Christmas before the Civil War? I am sure it would of been quite festive.
    denise

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  7. I love visiting old buildings...especially when decorated for the holidays...This is a gorgeous one! I especially love the color blue of that children's bedroom!

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  8. Ah, that is stunning. Love the decor - are these taken recently? It looks like summer to me. Here we are under inches and inches of snow and no one could be wearing these lovely dresses without freezing.;))
    Have a lovely Monday,
    xoxo

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  9. What fun .. and thank you for sharing, I hope you are feeling better

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  10. What a delight....such glorious memories you are building with your family...i love the photos Stevie! :-)

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  11. This is like looking into a different world. What a fun tour. Thanks for taking us with you.

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  12. Just beautiful and I too, am fond of the canopied baby bed!
    A wonderful tradition.

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  13. Beaautiful! Thank you for the tour. Miss those bloggyland tours. I stopped by to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas! Love you! Cynthia

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  14. What a beautiful antebellum mansion! I'd love to visit it someday. I saw a few homes like this in Louisiana on a side trip from New Oleans and I felt transported to a different time when I visited them.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family and may 2011 be a year full of blessings, good health and happiness! I treasure you as a blog friend and look forward to another year of reading A Little Birdie Told Me So!

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  15. What a beautiful home, stevie. I always love these antebellum mansions. We have a few around my hometown of Columbus, GA and, of course, there were many in the New Orleans area and in southwest Louisiana. Quite a few have been converted to bed and breakfast inns and I've always wanted to stay in one, especially ones in bayou country with the huge oak trees and Spanish moss dangling from the branches.

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  16. Oh look at all that eye candy! I could just move right in! I wish I was there to visit it with you and your sweet family! What a fun memory you all made!

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