On January 8, 9, and 10, Historic Kenmore presents "Twelfth Night at Kenmore," a dramatic theater performance inside the 18th century home of Fielding and Betty Lewis. This short video previews the performance. Immerse yourself in the experience the candlelight, music, and decorations of an eighteenth-century Christmas! Performance Times: 3:00, 3:45, 4:45 and 5:30 p.m. Reservations … Continue reading Video: “Twelfth Night at Kenmore,” A Preview
Parties
Thanksgiving in George Washington’s Virginia?
As thanksgiving approaches we turn our thoughts to tradition, family, and feast. Thanksgiving traditions call to mind family around a table full of food, a roast turkey with cranberry sauce, or maybe even a romanticized recreation of New England meal from the 17th century. But what is the history behind that tradition? What would people … Continue reading Thanksgiving in George Washington’s Virginia?
Photos: “Twelfth Night at Kenmore”
Today - January 6 - marks the end of Christmas or, at least, it did two centuries ago. If we lived in the days of George Washington, Betty Washington Lewis, and Fielding Lewis and moved within their social circle, we would all be preparing for the grandest celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which began … Continue reading Photos: “Twelfth Night at Kenmore”
Historical Holiday Cheer
In the colonial-era, the Christmas season lasted into January and concluded on Twelfth Night, a festive evening to mark the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and celebrated much like our New Year’s Eve is today. While the entire period featured frequent banquets and balls with much food and spirits, Twelfth Night was especially … Continue reading Historical Holiday Cheer
A Kenmore Christmas
Historic Kenmore is decorated for the holidays, portraying what it may have looked like during the Christmas season of 1775. At that time, the Lewis family would have just moved into Kenmore a couple of months earlier, and it would have been their first Christmas in the new house. It was a time of some … Continue reading A Kenmore Christmas