Annual Christmas and Candlelight Tour
in Historic Washington
December
(Co-sponsored by SARA Foundation)
One of the most beautiful events of the holiday season in southwest Arkansas is the Christmas and Candlelight Tour in the historic town of Washington, Arkansas. From 1 pm until 8 pm on the first and second Saturdays in December, you will be able to view Historic Washington at its loveliest. The entire park can be seen with natural 19th century decorations. After dark, Luminaries light the way for you to stroll the streets and see historic buildings and musicians caroling throughout the town. This event is presented by the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives Foundation, Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation, the City of Washington, and HistoricWashingtonState Park.
Music can be heard in the local churches and the 1940 WPA Gym. SARA Foundation will provide complimentary refreshments in the WPA Gym from 1 pm until 7 pm. As you tour HistoricWashingtonState Park, you will see and learn about historic buildings like:
· 1836 HempsteadCounty Courthouse that served as the Confederate seat of Government in Arkansas from 1863 to 1865.
· Block-Catts House, built between 1827 and 1832, a Federal “I” Style building that served as the home of Arkansas’s first Jewish settler, Abraham Block. The House is also the oldest two-story, wooden-framed building standing in the state of Arkansas.
· Trimble House, built in 1847, where you can learn the history of the John D. Trimble family, the only family to live in the house.
· James Black’s Blacksmith Shop, a re-creation of a frontier Blacksmith Shop. Constructed in 1960, it preserves the legacy of the Bowie Knife. It also contains two working forges dedicated to preserving the traditions of Blacksmithing.
· Crouch House, constructed in 1856, containing exhibits that showcase the exquisite workmanship, tools, and construction techniques that produced many of the historic buildings in Washington.
Daylight tours begin at 1 pm. At 5 pm this historic village is transformed into a Christmas wonderland with thousands of lights. Surrey rides will be available at the Candle Shoppe for $5 for adults and $2.50 for children 7-12 (children under 6 are free). Williams Tavern will host a buffet supper beginning at 4 pm.
Advance tickets are $9.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 7-12 years of age (children under 6 are free). The proceeds from advance ticket sales benefit the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives, which is a repository of historic books, maps, documents, photographs, and family records from twelve southwestern counties of Arkansas that once were part of the original HempsteadCounty. The prices are good until the day of the event, when they increase to $10.00 and $5.00. To purchase advance tickets, contact the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives at 870-983-2633.