Crisfield Holiday Home Tour

Crisfield Holiday Home Tour

Dozens of people flocked to the Tawes Library on December 19, to enjoy the Crisfield Holiday Home Tour.  The home was built in 1887 by James Tawes. His son, J. Millard Tawes, would later grow up to be the 54th governor of Maryland, serving from 1959 to 1967. The home is now owned by the Crisfield Heritage Foundation. Proceeds benefited the Crisfield Heritage Foundation and Crisfield Events. Here are a few photos from the tour. Hope to see you next year. 

Office and desk of Governor Tawes.

Holiday refreshments were on hand at the library.

Ready for the tour? Event Cordinator Allison Castellana has your travel bag all ready.

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This house, completed in 1918, was full of fun things. I could have stayed all day.

Tiny little things are so interesting.

The hostess poses in the dining area.

Sentimental family ice skates join a simple wreath for a perfect holiday photo.

Oh, how the Christmas gifts of childhood have changed over the years.

Some of these beautiful pieces came from the Holy Land.

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This lovely house was completed in the mid-1920's.

Nativity  pieces from around the world, paired with a large Santa collection, spread  Christmas spirit throughout the house.

Hosts pose in the hallway.

Many homes in the area are adorned with stained glass.

A whimsical Santa peers at the photographer.

Nothing like a beautifully decorated mantel during the holidays.

A Victorian Santa sits atop an old chopping blog.

What a warm and inviting room.

 

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OK, I did not do this 1930's house justice, as I was met by Betty Davis once I entered. She took over for the owner and "owned" my cameras. I am a sucker for cats, and they know it. A little factoid about this house:  architects used the 1920's Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie style design.

The host says good-bye to a guest as I enter.

  

Betty Davis checks me out.

I must focus...

I can't pass up a cat pose.

"Are you ready for the tour?"

"No way you are going to take a photo without me in it."

Back to my focus...I love this sun-room.

Betty's roomie arrives to help distract me. Cats like to work in pairs.

Oh, great, now they have me taking photos of cat paintings...

Focus, focus, on this charming room.

"If you are not going to take my photo, I will see you out."

"Did I make a good host?"

After getting approval from her human on a job well done, Betty Davis sees me to the door...

 "Next! Oh, I hope they have a camera."

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Completed in 1910, this was a fun house, but I spent way too much time in the attic.

A cheery entrance greeted these guests.

Snowbabies everywhere!

A traditional Eastern Shore dining room.

The hostess poses with some of her many Sugarbabies.

Fill your antique bathtubs with Christmas cheer.

And here is the attic that will bring out the kid in all of us. Be prepared to be transported back in time. Don't forget your train ticket.

The train runs through two tunnel sections, and it is always on time.

The train enters one of the tunnels.

Trimming the tree.

A chimney sweep passes by after a hard day's work.

Beautiful rendition of the bay.

The room certainly brought out the kid in this guest.

Old Scrooge, hard at work.

The host talks about his passion.

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Next on the stop, we have a church - Mariners United Methodist Church, founded in 1860. The original church was destroyed in a fire in 1931, with the present church being completed in 1932.

The above photo is a file photo. The below photo was taken during the tour. They have a beautiful nativity scene but it was not lit at the time I was there, so I shot from the front of the church.

A volunteer welcomes me.

Kathy talks about the history of the church.

Members decorated the church in seasonal colors.

A beautiful nativity scene graces the front of the pulpit. 

Roses in remembrance of the deceased.

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This home, or at least part of it - the far left side, dates back to the 18th century. It was originally a plain sawn log cabin. It's history and construction gives it claim to fame as the only example of its type in Somerset County.

Small details greet guests as they make their way to the door.

Guests were greeted at the door by the hostess and her granddaughter.

Guests were transported back in time as they toured this house.

Period pieces decorated the house.

Colonial dolls watch over guests in the kitchen.

A guest strolls the grounds.

The hostess, dressed in period clothing, holds a tray in the dining area, complete with turkey.

Christmas winked at every corner.

The hostess poses in the dining area.

 Colonial pieces decorate the back entrance.

Holding a Christmas bear, the granddaughter, poses in the original part of the house.

Posing is hard work. A little refreshment is in order.

This shot required me to either get my tripod out of the car or use a flash which would have ruined the photo. I wanted to show you Santa guarding the way to the loft in the original part of the house. Although you can't see his face, you get the idea. Up the steps is where the family would have slept.

Being a tiny person, I was able to wedge myself and camera over Santa's head to show you the way.

And let us not forget the modern part of the house. That is one awesome bathroom.

This is the evening view from the bedroom.

A period-style light frames the original part of the house, shown to the left.

As I was leaving, I captured this sunset. The vertical light was as you see it.

That's all for this year. Please plan on coming next year to experience Christmas in Crisfield, and get a taste of life on the Eastern Shore. Thanks to everyone who shared their Christmas with us. Everything was lovely, with each home having its own unique personality.