From House To Home

Christmas at the Conrad Mansion in the late 1890s was like a fairy tale. Guests piled out of horse-drawn sleighs outside the Conrads’ elegant Victorian, a lone symbol of civilization on a bluff overlooking Flathead Valley. Houseboys gathered satchels and packages while Charles and Alicia Conrad welcomed friends and relatives into the warmth of their spacious home.

Within minutes, the Conrad children—Charles Davenport, Catherine, and little Alicia Ann—were off with their companions, pointing out the two-story Christmas tree and helping friends get settled in the third-floor dormitory. Young and old alike spent the afternoon sledding, cross-country skiing, and enjoying sleigh rides. Christmas Eve dinner warmed everyone for the late-night sleigh ride to church for midnight Mass. The highlight of the evening was singing carols around the candlelit evergreen while houseboys stood watch on the balcony, the home’s built-in fire hoses in hand.

On Christmas morning, guests and family members descended the staircase while being serenaded by violin music. There was a small gift for everyone and a long-stemmed red rose for each lady. The Christmas Day feast concluded—in grand style—with the presentation of Mrs. Conrad’s Christmas pudding.

Alicia Conrad loved Christmas so much that a Christmas wreath is featured in one of the mansion’s many stained-glass windows, and the refrain from a Christmas carol hangs above one of the eight sandstone fireplaces, says museum director Kate Daniels. They’re lasting symbols of happy holidays shared a century ago in the home of Kalispell’s founding father.

Through special tours, teas, and events, today’s visitors to Conrad Mansion Museum can experience a little of what it must have been like to celebrate Christmas with the Conrads.

Friends of the Museum, under the leadership of Nikki Sliter, first began decking the mansion’s halls 25 years ago, for Christmas at the Mansion Craft and Gift Bazaar. Four years ago, the museum board decided it was a shame to have the beautifully decorated home on display only during the bazaar weekend, so Christmas tours became a new tradition and now give people an opportunity to see what the turn-of-the-century home might have looked like in all its holiday glory.

Photos courtesy of Conrad Mansion

If You Go

• Christmas Tours Of The Mansion: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., December 12-14, December 19-21, and December 26-28. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $3 for children age 12 and under. Reservations recommended.
• Saturday Christmas Teas: 1 p.m. December 13, 20, and 27. Come for tea, cookies, and a tour. Private tours and tea available for groups of six or more. Reservations required.
• Children’s Christmas Event: 3-7 p.m. December 18. Have your photograph taken with Santa and whisper your wish list into his ear. Includes a small gift and brief tour. Tickets are $10 per child. Reservations required.
• Concert In The Great Hall: This event features the Glacier Symphony Chorale, 3 p.m. December 21. A tour of the mansion will be given prior to the performance. Limited tickets available. Reservations required.
• For reservations, call 406-755-2166. For more information, visit www.conradmansion.com.
• Conrad Mansion is located at 330 Woodland Avenue in Kalispell.