Have you always wondered how some of Pittsburgh's historic homes and stately mansions are decorated for the holidays? Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a number of Pittsburgh area holiday house tours and events give you that chance.
December 6 - Three beautiful homes in Ligonier Valley, plus one each in Latrobe and Greensburg will be open for the third Ligonier Holiday Home Tour sponsored by the Auxiliary of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley. Participants also have the option of visiting the Compass Inn, the restored 1799 stagecoach stop in Laughlintown, for an additional fee.
December 7 - Peters Township is ablaze with lights and greenery for the annual Peters Township Holiday Home Tour. Tour five beautifully decorated homes while helping raise money for The Watchful Shepherd, an organization dedicated to child abuse prevention.
December 7 - For the fifth year, the Scottdale Area Chamber of Commerce will host its Christmas Elegance Home Tour. For 2008 the tour provides an inside look at several unique private residences, plus the oldest building in the area - the Loucks Homestead.
December 12-13 - Experience Christmas as it was celebrated over 100 years ago at the 27th annual Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour. This popular tour features several restored Victorian homes, plus the historic Calvary United Methodist Church decorated in nineteenth-century Christmas style. Held Friday & Saturday in historic Allegheny West on Pittsburgh's North Side.
December 13 - The seventh annual Mt. Pleasant Holiday Homes Tour showcases six holiday decorated homes and buildings in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County.
December 13 -
In Fayette County, the second annual Historic Northside Holiday House Tour features holiday tours of Nemacolin Castle, plus four historic homes in Brownsville.
December 14 -
Tour the Harmony museum buildings beautifully decorated in holiday splendor at Harmony Museum's Candlelight Christmas celebration. An elegant dinner is an additional option for the evening.
December 20 -
Enjoy the charm of the holiday season in Munhall at the annual Dickens of a Christmas Holiday Home Tour featuring homes in historic Munhall Library Estates. Proceeds benefit the Historic Munhall Library Estates.
Ongoing Holiday Home Tours
Christmas at Old Economy Village offers a unique 19th century Christmas celebration, with demonstrations, children's activities, a traditional Christmas putz, and plenty of German food. In the holiday house tour theme, the village and its historic buildings are decked in period Christmas finery.
The holiday season is the only time that Clayton House, the restored home of Henry Clay Frick, is open to the public for both daytime and evening tours. This year’s Clayton holiday tours includes touchable objects, live music and displays depicting Christmas customs of nineteenth-century America. As always, the home will be dressed in finery reminiscent of the Victorian period.
