It is truly the most wonderful time of the year! Our family absolutely loves celebrating all of the historical Christmas happenings in Northeast Tennessee, and we will be covering all of these places for LivingHistorySites.com! Join us for a few weekends of “Time Travel”at local destinations, enjoying living history. Travel easily from the western frontier around the time of the Revolutionary War, all the way up to the Civil War, with many stops in-between!

Candlelight Christmas Dec 4 & 5th, Dec 11 & 12

Join the Cobb family as they celebrate Christmas in the 18th century, before the heavy commercialization we know today. For the Cobbs 1791 was a special Christmas; Governor Blount has just returned to Rocky Mount, bringing his family from North Carolina. Music, dancing, decorations, and sacred tales will all be part of your experience on this magical candle-lit evening.

Time: Tours begin at 4:30 each night.  The last tour starts at 8:00.
Reservations are highly recommended.
Cost: $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for children ages three to seventeen.
Group rates are available for groups of twelve or more that make reservations
Members are admitted at a discount.
Other discounts do not apply.
http://www.rockymountmuseum.com

 

Exchange Place ~ Kingsport TN

December 5, Saturday 10-4:00, Special Yule Log Ceremony at 4:00 pm

Enjoy “Christmas in the Country” at the Exchange Place. Period crafts, cooking, beautiful handmade wreaths and a mid-19th century Christmas celebration for the whole family! http://www.exchangeplace.info

 

Tipton Haynes Historic Site ~ Johnson City

December 5, 2009

Visions of Christmas 1859 – Saturday (cannot confirm times at this printing, has been 2pm-6pm in the past. Join the Haynes family as they celebrate a Civil War Christmas, right before the war actually broke out. Holiday music, refreshments, and activities in the museum for children. This is an absolutely DELIGHFUL event! Admission charged. http://www.tipton-haynes.org/

 

Sycamore Shoals ~ Elizabethton TN ~ Christmas at the Carter Mansion

Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5 from 6:00 – 9:00pm

Spend an evening in the oldest frame house in Tennessee, built on the frontier around 1775 and widely known for its extraordinary interior craftsmanship.  The Mansion is decorated for Christmas in the style of the 1780s and features costumed interpreters, refreshments, and music to highlight this candlelit evening. www.sycamoreshoals.org

 

December Muster at Fort Watauga

Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6 10:00am – 4:00pm

Bring in the season with the Company of Overmountain Men during the re-enactment of an 18th century Christmas in the backwoods of Colonial America, featuring living history demonstrations and more. www.sycamoreshoals.org

 

Old Christmas: Militia Muster at Fort Watauga

Saturday & Sunday, January 9 & 10, 2010 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm  

Christmas isn’t over yet!  European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinter Klaus to the Twelve Days of Christmas.  Discover the English, German, Scotch-Irish, and Dutch roots of our modern holiday celebrations. www.sycamoreshoals.org

 

Netherland Inn ~ Kingsport

Dec. 4-6 A Flatboat Christmas at The Inn

Featuring the East Tennessee Bluegrass Band on Friday, Dec. 4. Doors open at 5 PM. Music starts 6 PM. Tickets include the band, Tours of the Inn decorated by local Garden Clubs, Wreath Festival & Silent Auction. Refreshments served. Free shuttle transportation from the KCVB offices downtown. Tickets, $10, children under 6 free, are available at TK Hot Dogs, KCVB and Netherland Inn Museum Shop. On Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 the Inn is open featuring all of the above except the ETSU band. Please note: http://www.netherlandinn.com/html/events.html

 

Davy Crockett Birthplace December 12~ Crockett Christmas

Travel down to the Limestone area, on the way to Greeneville for a “Crockett Christmas.” Enjoy a living history event that with a glimpse of Christmas past on the western frontier. The birthplace cabin will be decorated in pioneer spirit and filled with traditional music and storytelling. Enjoy hot wassail and edibles common to that period. The path to the cabin will be lit by candlelight and a nice warm fire in the cabin and outside the cabin will keep you toasty warm. Event time will be 2:00-9:00 pm for Saturday. For more information http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/DavyCrockettSHP/pdf/events.pdf

 

JONESBOROUGH CHRISTMAS PARADE

December 12 at 6 pm

“Twelve Days of Christmas" Night Christmas Parade ~ Saturday December 12 6pm
Enjoy a lighted night parade in downtown Historic Jonesborough -  http://www.jonesboroughtn.org/

 

Enjoy your “Time Traveling” in the Tri-Cities area this Christmas! Visit our website at www.LivingHistorySites.com for more information on these events!

Living History Sites is excited to announce our Summer Presidential Homes Tour in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. 

We will be bringing you the inside scoop on our third president Thomas Jefferson's stunning main home, Monticello. We will cover the home, grounds, gardens, slave quarters and what you need to know to get the most out of your Monticello visit. We will also take a trip up to his Poplar Forest summer retreat, an octagonal home! 

Just down the road from Monticello, we will explore James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highlan, our fifth president and bring you the information you need to know to make the most of your trip to visit these stunning homes. 

Michie Tavern is also on our list, we will be going on a tour of this Revolutionary Era tavern and meeting place that played such an important part in the political arena of it's day. We will try the hearty Mid-day Fare and share the experience with you.

We will spend a day at our 4th president, the "Father of our Constitution," James Madison's lovely Montpelier. We will explore the home he shared with Dolley Madison and share their slice of history with our LivingHistorySites.com readers.

We will also explore the charming city of Charlottesville and bring you face to face with Thomas Jefferson's favorite legacy, the University of Virginia. Living History Sites will explore restaurants, great places to stay. Since it is Emily's birthday, you know we will be looking for a cupcake or two to celebrate her big day!

Enjoy a new poll by Budget Travel on "America's Favorite Restaurants."

Over 600 people responded and they give you some off beat, frugal ideas for eating out as you travel around looking at Living History Sites all over America!

Great ideas for frugal travel with loads of style!

Here is a CNN article on tracking Michelle Obama's slave roots, at Friendfield Plantation outside Georgetown, South Carolina. While it feels odd posting this, Friendfield has just catapulted into a whole new realm.