The local holiday season will unofficially kick off Friday when the Highland County Historical Society opens its Merry Mercantile Christmas Shop at the Highland House Museum.
There will be a ribbon-cutting at the museum at 5 p.m., then the museum will remain open until 8 p.m.
The museum is home to the historical society and is located at 151 E. Main St. The shop will also be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6.
The shop has products from 20 local artisans. Gifts range from jewelry to home décor, handmade items, homemade jams and jellies, candles, pillows and more. Books on local history and books written by local authors are also available, according to museum director Vicki Knauff.
Debbie Williams, author of “Hillsboro’s Mystery Child – The Story of Sarah Dorney Stroup”, will sign books Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Other authors are scheduled during the holiday season.
Knauff said 14 of the museum’s rooms have been decorated by local groups or individuals in a “Color My World” theme and that the stairway and tree in the lower floor hallway provide the perfect background for a group photo.
“The rooms are decorated according to how the different groups interpreted the theme,” Knauff said. “The theater group at Southern State decorated the music room with Broadway themes from movies with colors in the title, and the DAR decorated the military room in red, white and blue.”
After this weekend, the Highland House will be open for visitors and shopping on Thursdays (except Thanksgiving) and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the holiday season.
There is no charge to visit the museum, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds benefit the historical society.
Watch for updates on Facebook, the historical society’s website at hchistoricalsociety.weebly.com, in The Times-Gazette or you can call the museum at 937-393-3392.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
