Chapin Mansion in Niles prepares for the holidays with decorations and a light show

Published 7:30 am Friday, November 25, 2016

By Joe Kuharic

The Chapin Mansion has decked the halls for the holidays.

The mansion, along with Fort St. Joseph Museum, have been decorated in the theme of “Christmas Past” by teams of community groups and businesses. Both the mansion and the museum will be open to show off the displays from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.

Upstairs, the Daughters of the American Revolution have designed a patriotic-themed room called, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which is dedicated to current servicemen and servicewomen serving overseas.

The Niles Art Association played with a food theme in the dining room and created a room designed around gingerbread houses.

Christina Arseneau, director of the Niles History Center, explained that there couldn’t be any real food in the mansion because of the restrictions on historic homes, which forced the NAA to get creative with the materials they used — think wooden cookies.

Mt. Calvary Church of Niles was creative with the materials they used for the ornaments the church used as well — all recycled materials were used.

Other themes visitors may expect to see around the house include a focus on eras, such as the 1960s — with dominant blue and silver designs — and the 1980s — with a plethora of stitched ornaments hanging from the tree and stockings above the fireplace.

“It’s been interesting to see how the different groups have come together to give their interpretation of Christmas past,” said Arseneau.

Fans of the mansion’s popular light show will have to wait a bit longer while finishing touches are made to the program. As in year’s past, visitors may tune their radio to 88.3 FM to listen along to the musical performance while watching the light show.

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