After dark tours of Perkins House are being planned for the last week in October. Since visiting hours have expanded we have a regular stream of visitors coming to the house. Many of the guests coming through are asking if we have “after dark” tours similar to the St. Ignatius hospital tours and those of the historic buildings downtown. I’ve wanted to make the Perkins House more visible to the general public since I became House Coordinator and “this is the perfect opportunity to do just that” says Theresa Dale.
Starting on Thursday, Oct 27th and running through Halloween on Monday the 31st three tours a night are scheduled. Tour groups will be limited to 6 people at a time and will last about 45 minutes. Keeping the groups small will allow for more personal interaction. Tours will be conducted by a volunteer docent and will take place by “modern candlelight” No open flames are allowed in the house for obvious reasons, so a flashlight will be carried by the all volunteer tour guides as well for safety’s sake. All other lights in the house will be turned off.
On Thursday, Sunday and Monday tours will begin on the hour starting at 8 p.m. and lasting for about 45 minutes. Additional tours will begin at 9 p.m. and 10 pm.
Friday and Saturday night tours will begin at nine, ten, and eleven p.m We will be getting a later start because “Best Western is renting the house from 5 until 8 those two nights for their “Murder Mystery dinner packages.
Cost for the tours will be $25 per person payable by cash or check at the door. Reservations can be made by either e-mailing Theresa at “PerkinsCoordinator@g-mail.com or calling 397-2555.
Plans for Halloween night also include welcoming the little ghosts and goblins to “Trick or Treat” at the south side front door. We plan to start handing out “old-time” candy at3 p.m
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I’m hoping to bring in some funds to pay for the much needed supplies to properly care for and store our large clothing collection. If you don’t have alot of time for volunteering this would be a great opportunity to do so for a short period of time. To decorate with I’m looking for gifts of corn stalks, pumpkins, gourds and a hay bale or two. In keeping with the time period from 1880 to 1910 we’ll use supplies that would have been availble to the Perkins family.
whitmancountyhistoricalsociety 