Last night we were invited to attend a special holiday event downtown. ‘Twas the Night Before… performance at Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site was a walk-through theater performance throughout the historic home. I hadn’t been to Benjamin Harrison’s home since I was in second grade so I was very excited to have the chance to visit again.
Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
I’m no history buff, but I thoroughly enjoy learning about history through musicals (Hamilton) and being at historic locations. A little background of 23rd President Benjamin Harrison that I found fascinating:
Elected Indianapolis City Attorney in 1857
Elected Supreme Court Reporter in 1860
Breveted Brigadier Civil War General in 1865
Appointed by President Grant to defend U.S. Government in Milligan case in 1871
Argued five cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (the most of any lawyer-President)
Elected U.S. Senator from 1881-1887
Elected U.S. President from 1889-1893
Set aside 13 million acres of public domain land for national forest reserves
And the list goes on! He was quite the accomplished man so it was very special to be able to walk the halls he worked and lived. The home was stunning. Over 80% of the furniture in the home was used in the home. I couldn’t get over how high the ceilings were. My thoughts drifted to how difficult it would be to keep the home warm during cold winter nights!
From the time Harrison purchased the empty lot in 1868 until the last room was painted in 1875, his Northside home had cost $29,000. With H. Brandt as the architect and Petrie and Cummings as excavators, the 10,000 square-foot-home, complete with 16 rooms, three stories and a basement, was finished in one year.
bhpsite.org
The Performance
The performance was put on by Candlelight Theater who acts in plays at BHPS throughout the year. Currently, there are four plays throughout the year, including the holiday performance we saw. We had so much fun going room to room hearing tales of old that we were familiar with through present-day movies and books. We heard Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Snow Queen, The Little Match Girl, and several others. The actors were captivating and the intimate performance made us feel like we were a part of the story.
In December 2019 patrons will join us in creating new holiday memories at a special Candlelight Theatre event! ‘Twas the Night Before… written by James Trofatter, offers a heartwarming interactive theatre experience for all ages. Guests meet holiday figures from tradition and folklore, as well as jolly new friends.
bhpsite.org
Tips for the Event
The performance is around an hour with shows starting every 30 minutes. You start out in the carriage house sipping hot cider and listening to live carolers. You’ll then be lead into the home by hosts that will take you throughout the home for each performance. The artifacts in the home are antique so do not bring children in strollers. I thought 6 was an excellent age to start coming because our daughter was familiar with the stories and knew how to be respectful to performers by that age. The home is ADA accessible. There is a ramp in the front of the home and they have an elevator and Elevette that go all the way to the third floor.
Get your tickets online before the performance (the earlier the better because they sell out quickly with only 4 days of performances). If you can, leave your coat in the car. The carriage house is heated and there is not a lot of space in the rooms of the home with everyone’s coats. We went during the week so there was plenty of free street parking outside the home. There is no photography or videography during the performance. The home is open daily so you are able to take tours of the home and there are many events throughout the year.
Do let me know if you’ve been to this stunning historic site or any other presidential home! I’d love to add it to our list of historical places to visit.
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