Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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DECEMBER 16-22, 2015 UCW 19 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Ho, ho, ho! It's Christmas time at the Poe House. The Museum of the Cape Fear has a myriad of events and exhibits planned for the holiday season. If you have ever wondered what Christmas was like in Fayetteville during the Victorian era, be sure to visit the Poe House. The decorations are historically accurate and offer a insight into the way local families lived and celebrated Christmas in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Take a tour and learn about the customs and traditions of the time. "By Thanksgiving, we have the Poe House decorated for Christmas so people who go downtown and enjoy Dickens' holiday can come and see the Poe House," said Leisa Greathouse, curator of education at Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. "The decorations will be up until Jan. 10 which is after the Epiphany Christian Observation." The 1897 Poe House was home to the Poe family which consisted of Edgar Poe, his wife and eight children. Poe was an affluent businessman who was born in Fayetteville and owned and operated a brick factory. He had two brick yards. "He delved into other things such as building materials and hired potters to make jugs and bowls and it became known as Poe Pottery," said Greathouse. "It makes it sound like he was a potter but he wasn't." Greathouse added that Poe and his wife, Josephine, had eight children that they reared in the house, which were six girls and a set of twin boys. Mrs. Poe's job was like most women of her socioeconomic class, which was to stay home and be a good wife, mother and provide a good home for her family. "We talk about early technology in the Poe House like the first indoor plumbing that they would have gotten here in Fayetteville," said Greathouse. "Also electricity was one of those inventions that made our life much simpler … that they were witnessing for the first time back then." The museum has an exhibit called "Stagville: Black and White." It is a black and white photographic exhibit of Stagville State Historic Site which is located in Durham. "At the time of the Civil War it was the largest slaveholding plantation in North Carolina," said Greathouse. "The plantation owner, Paul Cameron, was the richest man in North Carolina at the time." Greathouse added that these are photos of what remains of the slave cabins, big house, the great barn and the grounds. Brenda Scott met descendants of the slaves that lived on the property and photographed them and conducted historic interviews. The events are free and open to the public. For more information call 486-1330. Enjoy a Victorian Christmas at the Poe House by Dr. SHANESSA FENNER The Fayetteville - Cumberland County Parks and Recreation presents Christmas in the Park again this year at Arnette Park from 6 – 9 p.m. daily Dec. 4 – 20. Christmas in the Park is a walk-through light show. Guests pay the per vehicle entry fee, park and then take a stroll through the half-mile paved walking trail while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Christmas season. During their visit, guests can enjoy entertainment provided by local artists, crafts, marshmallow roasting at a fire pit, train rides on the Christmas Express and holiday movies on the outdoor movie screen. Santa will be available for pictures. Admission is $10 per family vehicle, $30 for a commercial vehicle and $75 for buses. Only cash will be accepted. Marshmallows, crafts and train rides cost $1 extra. Pictures with Santa are $5. Only service animals are allowed at the park during Christmas in the Park. In its sixth year, Christmas in the Park continues to grow said Erica Brady, Special Events Coordinator for Fayetteville - Cumberland County Parks and Recreation. "Not only has this event grown in participation, but each year we add more lights and displays to make it new and exciting for all visitors," Brady said via e-mail. More than 16,000 guests attended last year. Return visitors will see additions in this year's show, Brady said. "We have added a lot of new displays that will easily be recognizable for anyone who has attended in the past as well as expanding our center Christmas tree display." Besides the festive lights, the family-friendly event offers other activities to keep visitors of all ages entertained. "We have a wide variety of local performers," Brady said. "They include school groups, churches and participants from our recreation center programs." A Christmas themed crafts station offers simple crafts that can be done by a child with the help of an adult. "We provide the necessary supplies and the craft can be completed on site or taken home to make," Brady said. The outdoor movie screen will show a variety of licensed movies: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Frosty's Winter Wonderland, Smurf 's Christmas Carol. To make the most of the experience, Brady recommends dressing for the weather and be prepared to walk. The event is set up so visitors can spend as little or as long as they like in the park. "Do everything at your own pace and enjoy the experience," Brady said. Arnette Park is home to 100 acres adjacent to the Cape Fear River with a combination of developed facilities and wooded areas. It is located at 2165 Wilmington Highway, Exit 100 off Highway 87. During questionable weather conditions, guests are encouraged to call the inclement weather line at 306-7325 before they visit. A recorded message will say if the park is open that evening. For more information call 433-1547 or visit http://www.fcpr.us/special_events.aspx. Don't Miss Christmas in the Park at Arnette Park by APRIL OLSEN Every year the Poe House at the Museum of the Cape Fear offers a peek into the past with Victorian-era Christmas decorations and guided tours. It is an opportunity to learn about what Christmas was like in Fayetteville during the Victorian era. Christmas in the Park at Arnette Park offers an eve- ning of holiday lights and more through Dec. 20. DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Principal, WT Brown Elementary School, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910.484.6200 APRIL OLSEN, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com.