Here are some of the photos I took of the Whitall House, decorated for Christmas.
The Whitall House, built in 1748 by James and Ann Whitall, on the shore of the Delaware River
The pineapple is a colonial symbol of hospitality. I'm guessing this is because exotic fruits were something special to serve guests.
The house was used as a hospital for captured Hessian troops in 1777.
The kitchen wing, with the large wood box on the porch for kindling. Kitchens were usually built in a separate wing, to keep food smells and smoke from entering the main part of the house. Bedrooms above the kitchen were warm because of the fireplace. You can see through the windows to the trees on the riverbank.
The main parlor, with a feast of pastries and desserts, decorated for a Twelfth Night celebration. Christmas was celebrated for twelve days, from Dec. 25th until Jan. 6th, the Feast of the Three Kings (aka the Epiphany)
The pier glass in the hall, beautifully painted on top, reflecting the feast on the table and some of the poinsettias in the fireplace. 
The parlor, and a bit of the staircase leading to the upstairs rooms.
Needless to say, I was inspired to work on my dollhouse some more. I haven't had time to do it, but perhaps I can get at least the parlor and dining room decorated for Christmas. The front of my house looks a lot like the Whitall House. Only it has a Deerfield door, which was a popular style in Massachusetts, not down here. I like the style, though, with its elaborate scrolls. It will look more like the Whitall House when I get the red shutters put on.
2 comments:
Unfortunately, I never took to colonial style architecture (which is prevalent in Northern VA where I grew up), but I definitely appreciate the love and care required to build and maintain something for generations.
I like the simplicity of colonial over the pretentiousness of Victorian, which is very prevalent here.
And then there is the "50's Postwar Shoebox," which we own.
Post a Comment