LIVERMORE — People from around the state visited  The Washburn-Norlands Living History Center Saturday, Dec. 9, where two different but related programs were taking place.

For the 50th year, The Washburn-Norlands Living History Center was holding its traditional Christmas at Norlands event on Saturday. The Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce was also hosting the Sixth Annual Olde Fashioned Christmas at Norlands – a new location this year – Friday through Sunday.

The Norlands fundraiser offered tours of the mansion, visits with Santa Claus, area people organized by Bernadette Harvell of Chesterville singing Christmas carols, free hot cider and cocoa, horse drawn wagon rides and fun activities from years ago. The 3C Society of Farmington assisted with the cookie walk and sales of wreaths made by LEAP, Inc. clients to help support the center.

The chamber’s event saw 17 trees decorated by area businesses or organizations. Visitors could purchase $1 raffle tickets to try their luck at winning a tree. The money represented by each ticket would later support a non-profit or entity chosen by the group decorating that tree.

Karin Ashmore, Denise Boothby and her daughter Adney Boothby were busy selling raffle tickets.

“Renee [Bonin, treasurer of the Washburn-Norlands Foundation] said it’s a great crowd,” Denise said. “It’s exciting for the chamber to bring its event here, to promote the Norlands.”

“It is beautiful here,” Ashmore noted. “It is great to have the live animals here, have both events in one place.”

Art teacher Diane Brown of Buckfield and Heather and Gary Grenier of Hebron were making their way through the barn, trying to decide which trees to try to win with their raffle tickets.

Three year old Riley Williams of Lewiston took time to look at the various Play-Doh kits and containers on the tree decorated by Franklin Savings Bank to support Spruce Mountain Ski Area.

Six year old Aiden Veilleux of Jay was visiting the animals in the barn. When asked, the student at Spruce Mountain Primary School in Livermore said he liked the goats better than the sheep. One black goat spent spent several minutes with its head poked through the wooden enclosure while being petted by the youth.

Jessi Carlow of Hartland stood at the heads of Max and Legend while waiting for husband Mark Carlow to return to give more wagon rides. “We got Legend last year,” she said. “Two months later we learned they were brothers. It’s quite the story.”

“We love being here, it’s great,” she added.

Gantley Beane of Farmington took a few minutes from his duties of portraying a Union soldier from the Civil War era to sit and warm up with a cup of hot cocoa. He said he was just walking around, carrying his rifle.

“You look cool,” Monica Smith of Livermore said. She and family members Donovan and Hunter Smith were also seated while sampling cookies from the cookie walk.

In the kitchen, Mary Castonguay and Anne Hayward were dressed in period outfits as they provided hot cider and cocoa to visitors.

“We are generally cooking,” Castonguay said. “It is going very well, have had a wonderful turnout. I am excited to be hosting with the chamber. I think Denise Boothby was the push behind their event being held here. It is great to have so many volunteers.”

Jane Smith of Jay took a short break from playing piano for the carolers. She visited briefly with Bonin and noted she was a friend of Santa.

Willi Irish was once again portraying Aunt Clara Howard and sharing conundrums, parlor games and riddles from a book she has compiled over the years while working at Norlands. She has been playing Clara and other characters at the center since 1976.

“They can’t get rid of me,” she quipped.

Copy the Story Link