HISTORIC GLENN HOUSE OPENS FOR HOLIDAY TOURS

Cape Girardeau's historic Glenn House will open for holiday tours on Friday and Saturday.

Doris Dace, president of the Historic Association of Greater Cape Girardeau, said the restored home is decorated more elaborately than ever. The annual holiday tours are the largest fund-raisers to pay for upkeep of the house.

This year's theme is angels, Dace said.

"We have in the dining room a tree that is full of angel ornaments made by Girl Scout troops in the area," Dace said. "In exchange for that, each participating Girl Scout gets to come through the house as our guest."

Afternoon and evening tours will continue through late December.

The Victorian home at 325 S. Spanish is decorated annually for the holidays. Volunteers have been decorating the house since early November, but planning for this year's tours began in January, Dace said.

"This theme really worked for us," she said. "When people heard that we were doing angels, people loaned their angel decorations to us for use during the holiday season."

The house is decorated in mauves and pinks instead of the traditional greens and reds.

"The children's bedroom is really beautiful with lots of dolls and toys in it. It's a delight to see, and it has its own Christmas tree," she said.

The stairwell of the home is also one of the main attractions.

"Along with the garland, there are silvestri angels up the stairwell with long, tear-drop-shaped ornaments and pearls," she said. "And then there are wide, multi-colored ribbons in mauves and blues. It's just breathtaking."

Afternoon tours will be given Friday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m. and again Dec. 4-7, 11-14 and 18-21.

Evening tours are from 7-9 p.m. and begin on Tuesday. Evening tours will also be held Dec. 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19.

Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children 6-12. Children under 6 are admitted free. Guided tours of each room are provided.

The Glenn House, built in the late 1800s, is owned by the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau. The association spent more than 10 years restoring the home. The last rooms were restored in 1979. The two-story house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 11, 1979.