Decked out for Christmas
in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park
are the nine country mansions of
the city's prominent historic families.
When Life Gives You Lemons
Laurel Hill
The country mansions
are no longer country
as the city has spread
and grown around them.
Portrait on the Mantel
Strawberry Mansion
But they are located in Fairmount Park
and you get the sense of what it must have been like
with several of them along the banks
of the Schuylkill River.
Blue Ribbons
Strawberry Mansion
If you love history...like me,
love vintage...like me,
love Christmas...like me,
you'll enjoy a visit.
Upstairs, Downstairs
Laurel Hill
Now, I don't want to be the Grinch,
but like all things in the city,
there is room for improvement on these tours.
Child Dreams
Cedar Grove
I am going to elaborate for those
who might be contemplating a visit.
And that is because I spoke
with disappointed tourists on one of these tours.
A Christmas Welcome
Laurel Hill
If you really want to view the mansions,
don't go at Christmas.
Best Docent Ever
Laurel Hill
As a tourist you have two options.
To visit on your own
or visit with a bus/trolley group.
Home for Christmas
Woodford
On the trolley you will be with a large group
and need to stay in the group.
You will be herded in
and out rather quickly,
but you will get to see the whole mansion.
Child's Gift
Cedar Grove
If you visit on your own
you will be able to take your time,
but you will only be permitted on the first floor of each home.
You will also need to make way for the tour groups
as they take precedence over the individual.
Christmastide Fruits
Strawberry Mansion
For the same price,
you can visit during the non-Christmas season,
see the whole mansion,
avoid mobs of people,
and speak at length with the docents.
By The Chimney with Care
Cedar Grove
And one more pet-peeve,
the docents really need to keep their modern day things
out of sight.
It kind of ruins the whole experience to see plastic bags and such
lying amongst the historic furnishings.
After visiting I had the thought
of decorating my home with sugared fruits...
but that thought passed quickly.
in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park
are the nine country mansions of
the city's prominent historic families.
When Life Gives You Lemons
Laurel Hill
The country mansions
are no longer country
as the city has spread
and grown around them.
Portrait on the Mantel
Strawberry Mansion
But they are located in Fairmount Park
and you get the sense of what it must have been like
with several of them along the banks
of the Schuylkill River.
Blue Ribbons
Strawberry Mansion
If you love history...like me,
love vintage...like me,
love Christmas...like me,
you'll enjoy a visit.
Upstairs, Downstairs
Laurel Hill
Now, I don't want to be the Grinch,
but like all things in the city,
there is room for improvement on these tours.
Child Dreams
Cedar Grove
I am going to elaborate for those
who might be contemplating a visit.
And that is because I spoke
with disappointed tourists on one of these tours.
A Christmas Welcome
Laurel Hill
If you really want to view the mansions,
don't go at Christmas.
Best Docent Ever
Laurel Hill
As a tourist you have two options.
To visit on your own
or visit with a bus/trolley group.
Home for Christmas
Woodford
On the trolley you will be with a large group
and need to stay in the group.
You will be herded in
and out rather quickly,
but you will get to see the whole mansion.
Child's Gift
Cedar Grove
If you visit on your own
you will be able to take your time,
but you will only be permitted on the first floor of each home.
You will also need to make way for the tour groups
as they take precedence over the individual.
Christmastide Fruits
Strawberry Mansion
For the same price,
you can visit during the non-Christmas season,
see the whole mansion,
avoid mobs of people,
and speak at length with the docents.
By The Chimney with Care
Cedar Grove
And one more pet-peeve,
the docents really need to keep their modern day things
out of sight.
It kind of ruins the whole experience to see plastic bags and such
lying amongst the historic furnishings.
After visiting I had the thought
of decorating my home with sugared fruits...
but that thought passed quickly.
Come along....The Party's Here!
And be sure to Get Social. I love bumping into my friends in cyberspace too!
7 comments:
this has stirred a memory from a blog from the past that someone wrote about using fruit for decorations. seems back then they did not have all the access to gazillions of light and ornaments like we do, so they used fruit and greenery for decorations.... i am now wondering what the price of lemons and oranges were in these places during the Christmas season, they would have to be shipped from other countries.... i loved all the photos of this place...
Thanks for the tip, I'm not fond of crowds, but I'd hate to miss the 'behind the scenes'. Beautiful photos.
I really like the look of the simple decorations. Today most people are too glitzy for my taste...though I do enjoy photographing what other people do. ;))
It's beautiful!!! (minus the plastic bags, of course) I think I will give all my decorations away to my kids and start decorating with nothing but greenery and lemons. :-)
This is so beautiful and inviting. Your images have taken this beautiful place to a new level. So good!
I would definitely go at another time than Christmas. We visited a restored mansion by us this summer and it was great we could wander the whole house and for most of the time we were the only ones there. Lots of photo opportunities.
I think you saved my favorite to last....what a wonderful old timey chimney with the heater and the stockings. All of the pictures are beautiful, but it is by far my favorite. genie
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