Victorian Mourning Theme of Hampton Historic Home Tour - October 9 and 16, 2016

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Victorian Mourning Theme of Hampton Historic Home Tour
Sundays, October 9 and 16, 2016

Please join the Union Forge Heritage Association for Victorian Mourning-themed house tours on October 9 and 16. During the Victorian era from 1837 to 1901, grieving families often engaged in elaborate, and what might be regarded macabre, customs to commemorate their dearly departed.


Take a step back in time and visit a household in mourning in the late 1800s. The rooms of the historic 1760 Turner House at 117 VanSyckles Road in Hampton, New Jersey will be set up as they would have been for a Victorian mourning. Costumed docents will be on hand to greet visitors and guide them on tours of the rooms.

Although topics like grave robbing, vampire panics, and fear of being buried alive may seem more suited to Halloween and horror movies than historic themed tours, these, and other Victorian beliefs and superstitions regarding death, are based in history.

The tours will explore these and other topics using artifacts from the collection at Turner House as well as antique items on loan from other sources and reproductions. These items include a collection of vintage mourning jewelry from The Vintage Shoppe in downtown Clinton, and a "toe pincher" coffin from long time local resident Doug Martin, a retired funeral director.

Requested donation is $10 per person. Tours start at 2, 2:30, 3 and 3:30. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required so please contact Union Forge Heritage Association at ufhaevents@gmail.com for more information and to make reservations. Visit their web site at www.unionforgeheritage.org.


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Location: 117 Van Syckle Rd, Washington, NJ 07882, USA

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