PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Over the weekend, the Presque Isle Historical Society transformed the Estey House into a Christmas-themed monument to the Victorian era.
It was another installment of the “Victorian Christmas at the Estey” event, now in its fourth year. Once again, the display was spearheaded by Presque Isle Historical Society Director Kim Smith.
Smith said her intention with the event was to teach the Victorian roots of many Christmas traditions. Besides the historical aspects, it is also a way to celebrate the Christmas season.
“I wanted it to be magical for people when they walked into the house. To put people in the spirit,” Smith said. “I think that we’ve accomplished that.”
Adorned in 19th century outfits, several volunteers from around Presque Isle, including Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director LaNiece Sirois, shepherded attendees through history.
The rooms were adorned with numerous mementos that gave spectators a taste of the time: old sepia tone photo portraits of stone-faced men and women, aging oil paintings and a variety of hats, some with feathers from different birds.
There were many “oohs” and “wows” as volunteers and staff explained some of the trends of the time. In an era before indoor plumbing became standard, a bedroom would likely have a chamber pot. And before the box-spring, Victorian-era beds were filled with practically anything: feathers, straw and even horsehair.
A big theme of the night was how Christmas traditions begun in the Victorian era have both persisted and changed. Smith, dressed head-to-toe in a contemporary 19th century outfit complete with a hat, shocked spectators with her history of Christmas tree lights.
“They actually lit the tree with real candles,” Smith said. “So, you had a few fires.”
The house display also made an effort to cement the popular media at the time. A pianist, Lisa Prescott, played songs from Victorian-era sheet music. One bedroom featured a variety of books that would have adorned bookshelves at the time: Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book,” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll and the works of Mark Twain.
Smith said that while she was happy she could use the occasion to bring in donations for the society, she was most pleased with being able to immerse Presque Isle’s public in history.
“The most important thing for us is to get people into the house,” Smith said. “We love to share the local history.”
Smith said that because Presque Isle was blessed with such a long and storied history, it was only right not to keep the house closed during the winter.
“We are very fortunate here, and I think sometimes we take that for granted,” Smith said. “I’ve traveled all over the U.S., and I really don’t know if many rural communities have as many historical ties as we do.”
The Estey House, which is believed by the society to have been built in 1875, was once the home of Presque Isle resident Vera Estey, who lived for many years in the house on Third Street. She willed the house to the society upon her death in 1992 at the age of 97.
Smith said that about 60 people total attended the event over the weekend.
