Glenn House sees slow season; blame placed in part on weather

The halls are decked at the Glenn House for the Christmas season, but the number of individuals coming to see the historic home in downtown Cape Girardeau has been less than in recent years.

The Glenn House holds tours from 1 to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. During the holiday season -- the month of December -- they host a special candlelight tour, which Donna Grantham said drew about 40 people this year, slightly fewer than usual.

"It was still not bad, but also we were supposed to have ice and snow that weekend," Grantham said. She serves as the president of the Historical Association for Greater Cape Girardeau.

The Candlelight tour was Dec. 15, the night of Cape Girardeau's first winter snow. It has rained, snowed or been foggy every weekend in December.

"Mother nature hasn't been very good to us this year," Grantham said.

Paul Thompson, left, showed the toy room at the Glenn House to Mike and Casey Bernal on Sunday. (Fred Lynch)

She said individual tours have been down a little this year and the bulk of their business has come from group tours, which usually come more in the spring.

Polly Cotner, the tour chairwoman of the Glenn House, said there were a few large groups -- one from St. Louis and another from Perryville, Mo. -- that came through this month and helped even out the numbers where individual tours were lacking.

"We're only open on the weekends and we've had rainy weekends," Cotner said. "Each week it has turned out that Sundays have been the best days."

On Sunday, the docents said they gave tours to 20 people.

"This was more than I expected today," said Paul Thompson, a Sunday docent.

Two of his tourists came for a bit of history and a taste of home. Mike and Casey Bernal were in Cape Girardeau from Tucson, Ariz. Casey Bernal grew up in Southeast Missouri. Her grandfather owned the Glenn House for a period of time, but she had toured it only once as a Girl Scout. She decided to come back to the house with Mike.

"He's a history buff," she said pointing to Mike. "He wanted to know if there was anything historical in Cape."

The Glenn House was designed by Edwin Branch Deane for his daughter Lulu Deane and her husband, David A. Glenn, a Cape Girardeau merchant and banker in the late 1800s and early 20th century. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979.

The money from tours goes directly back into the house upkeep like fixing the porch or general maintenance.

"It's an older home," Grantham said. "It was built in 1883 so there's always something to be done to keep it in its splendor."

The Historical Association had some special music like choir groups and musical groups playing or someone playing the square piano in the front room to increase the appeal and enhance the tour experience.

"That's drawn a few people," Grantham said.

This weekend will be the last time to visit the Glenn House before it closes again. Tours will be offered Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. A special New Year's Day tour will be from 1 to 4 p.m. as well.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246