Christmas on the Farm at Waterloo Farm and Dewey School

The Waterloo Area Historical Society will host its annual “Christmas on the Farm and at Dewey School” on Saturday, December 7th, from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday, December 8th, from Noon to 4 P.M. This re-creation of the holiday's traditions will include tours of the ten-room farmhouse, the authentic log house, several outbuildings, and the one-room Dewey School. Hand-decorated greens, home-made baked goods, and gift items will be available for purchase. Free cookies and cider and live music will be among the offerings for this homespun weekend. Concessions will also be available.

Grounds admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (62+), $2 for children age 5 to 12. Children under 5 and WAHS members are free.

At the farmstead, natural decorations set the scene in the 14-room farmhouse, where costumed guides recount the activities that might have taken place in each room at Christmas time. Long ago days on a Michigan farm will be brought to life once again as singers and musicians perform traditional holiday melodies. The savory scents of the season will fill the air as dinner is prepared in the warm farm kitchen, reviving memories of the folks who once occupied this historic farmstead.

Visitors will also be welcomed into the log house by a family preparing Christmas Dinner. The Gift Shop will offer items for sale to fill stockings and remind us of former lifestyles. Baked goods, jams, jellies, and other tempting treats will also be available. Wreaths, swags, and table centerpieces made of fresh greenery will be available for purchase in the Ice House. Be sure to visit the blacksmith working at the forge.

In days gone by, the one-room schoolhouse served not only as an educational venue, but also as a rural community's gathering place for plays, dinners, and socials, especially during the holiday season. In keeping with that tradition, the Waterloo Area Historical Society's Dewey School Museum – located just a short drive from the Farm – will be open for tours and decorated for the season by local children.

There's something for everyone at this re-creation of "Christmas Past."