During the holiday season, it is not uncommon to see groups of people out looking for Christmas decorations and other scenes of holiday cheer.
What makes Sunday’s Holiday Open House special, though, is that the Christmas decorations, music and refreshments will all be presented in historic antebellum homes.
The Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society and the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion have teamed up to present the Holiday Open House: a free tour of the Old Tavern, the Battle-Friedman House and Gardens and the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion that will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday.
“It’s Christmas with historic Tuscaloosa,” said Katherine Mauter, executive director of the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society. “Really, what we like to do and the reason we make this particular event free admission and open to the public, is that we want people to come in and see these beautiful historic homes because they are the essence of early Tuscaloosa’s history.”
Though the homes all were built either before or during the Civil War, Mauter said there are distinct differences.
“This is actually the first year that the Old Tavern is being included,” Mauter said. “So, if you come on Sunday and visit all three locations, you’re looking at three different decades of architecture in Tuscaloosa.”
The Old Tavern, built in 1827, is the oldest building that the Preservation Society maintains. The Battle-Friedman House was built between 1835 and 1840, and the Jemison Mansion was built between 1859 and 1862, according to the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society website.
“So, you’re looking at three different decades of Tuscaloosa history, beginning with the capital era and moving all the way to the Civil War,” Mauter said. “It’s a chance to, we hope, encourage people to get interested in local history and support local history and support preservation.
Mauter said her favorite stop on the tour is the Battle-Friedman House.
“I like all of them,” she said. “I like aspects of every single structure, but I think the Battle-Friedman House takes a little bit of an edge over the other two.”
Admission to each historic home is free during the open house, and refreshments and tours will be offered. Also, the Battle-Friedman House will feature performances by the Rock Quarry Middle School’s Strings in Schools and the Sipsey Valley Middle School Choir.
Susan Haynes, who works for the UA Honors College, is a board member for the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society.
“It’s great exposure for historic Tuscaloosa, and it’s a great way for people to come in and see these beautiful antebellum homes decorated for the holidays,” Haynes said. “It’s the one time of the year, especially for the Battle-Friedman House, that people can come in for free, no charge and no admission. Actually, we don’t open the Tavern very often either, so it’s a great chance for the public to come in and tour it and learn a bit about Tuscaloosa’s history.”
The Battle-Friedman House and the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion are both located on Greensboro Avenue. The Old Tavern is on 28th Avenue, near the intersection with 3rd Street.
