HISTORIC HOUSE TO HOST TOURS

Toys and roses fill the Glenn House as volunteers usher in the 25th holiday season. Christmas tours of the historic home begin Friday.

The Glenn House at 325 South Spanish was built in 1883 and is considered a city landmark. It is now a project of the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau. Each year the house is decorated in holiday finery.

Lee Ann Hansen and Loretta Dodd are cochairmen of the holiday house this year.

"Going to the Glenn House over the Christmas holiday is a tradition for a lot of people," Dodd said. "The house is always very pretty. This year we think the decorations really flow.

"The house is very pretty. A number of design firms in town have given us trim and made runners and other things for the house," Dodd said. Several florists have also donated their skills.

Ten dozen silk red roses are used in decorating the house.

"We had seen roses in other Victorian homes, "and they looked very fitting," said Dodd. "I think people will be surprised at how well the roses do work, especially with the greenery and the gold pine cones.

"The roses are deep red with burgundy ribbon and gold trim," Dodd explained. "They are silk roses, but they look very realistic.

We even had someone tell us recently that the roses smell wonderful."

The roses are used in garlands on the staircase banister, on mantels and throughout the house.

Throughout the house are many antique toys. Dodd said many of the toys were donated by Smothers Antiques and Hansens Collectibles for use this holiday. A number of individuals have also donated toys.

Dodd said: "We have two new trains on display this year: one under the tree; the other upstairs in the bay area."

The trains were provided by Sneathen Enterprises, a model train business.

In planning the exhibit, organizers have taken advantage of some new gifts to the house. For example, a six-place setting of Haviland Lemoges china with a rose pattern was recently given to the Glenn House by Dorothy Buchanan, the great niece of Lula Dean Glenn.

"The dishes were purchased in 1914," Dodd said. "That is the same year the Glenns auctioned a lot of their things. We don't know, but there is a chance these actually belonged to the Glenns," said Dodd.

The traditional Christmas tree is in the front room as is a children's theater that belonged to the Glenns. The theater has not been displayed for several years. "It's really an interesting piece," said Dodd.

In addition, a Christmas tree in the dining room features decorations made by local Boy Scout troops. "They have made decorations following the toy theme," Dodd said. "And the ornaments are wonderful. We like to try to involve Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts whenever we can."

Historic-preservation students at Southeast Missouri State University are putting together a display of antique clothing in one of the rooms.

Dodd explained that decorating began in earnest last week and will continue through the opening Friday afternoon.

"But we start planning well in advance," she said. "I've been making garland and other items for well over a month."

The Glenn House is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m.

Special holiday hours have been added on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. The last evening tour is scheduled Dec. 22.

Admission is $3 for adults, but anyone who goes with a group, even a small group, will get a 50-cent discount, Dodd said.

People will be on hand to explain special features of the home, furnishings and decorations.

A special evening is being planned for people who are interested in crafts and holiday decorating. Glenn House officials will be on hand to explain how the house was decorated.

The Glenn House is also featured on the Historic Christmas Tour sponsored by Cape Girardeau's Bicentennial Commission. The tour is scheduled Dec. 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19, and features four stops.

In addition to the Glenn House, the tour includes the Cape River Heritage Museum, 538 Independence; Old St. Vincent Church, Main and William; and Longview, in the 1600 block of Whitener.

Tour tickets are $6 for adults and $2.50 for children.

The Glenn House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 11, 1979. The historical association maintains and operates the house.

Dodd explained that the back porch of the house is beginning to pull away. Estimated cost to repair the porch is $5,000. The two-story front porch is not affected.

"If our Christmas season goes really well, that helps with maintenance and repairs for the house."

She said a special donation fund has been set up to help collect money to repair the porch. For the time being, visitors are not allowed on the porch.

"We just got some big leaks fixed and had the stenciling redone," she said. "Now we have the problem with the porch. That's just the way old houses are; time takes a toll."