2024 Charles County Holiday Tour

Burch House

On Saturday December 7 CCASM hosted visitors at Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2024 Charles County Holiday Tour.   Four sites in Port Tobacco participated in this free event - the One-Room Schoolhouse, Stagg Hall, the Port Tobacco Courthouse, as well as Burch House.

Only fifteen people came by Burch House this year to learn about this eighteenth-century house and Washington Burch, one of its owners.  Seceral were also interested in hearing about the archaeology done in Port Tobacco and upcoming ASM Field Session that is to be in Charles County. There was hot cider, home-baked cookies, chocolates, and even an activity for children. 

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments and one with paper ornaments. 

Thanks to Linda and Elsie for setting up and being there to talk with the visitors and also to Carol who helped out in the afternoon. 
And a special thanks to Mary who provided the baked goods, hot cider, and everything else needed to enjoy them.

2023 Charles County Holiday Tour

Welcome to Burch House

On December 2 and 3 CCASM hosted visitors at Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2023 Charles County Holiday Tour.  Eleven sites throughout the County participated in this free event.  This included four sites in Port Tobacco - the One-Room Schoolhouse, Stagg Hall, the Port Tobacco Courthouse, as well as Burch House.

Over fifty people came by Burch House this year to learn about this eighteenth-century house and Washington Burch, one of its owners.  Many were also interested in hearing about the archaeology done in Port Tobacco and the Archaeology Lab. There was hot cider, home-baked cookies, chocolates, and even an activity for children. 
(It's easy to forget to take pictures when you are interacting with visitors.)

Signing in and
having refreshments

Viewing some of the
homemade decorations

Enjoying a simpler time

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments and one with paper ornaments. 

Thanks to Claudia, Denise, Elsie, Mary, Linda, Pat, and Carol for being there to talk with the visitors.  And a special thanks to Mary who was in charge of the baked goods, hot cider, and everything else needed to enjoy them.

2022 Charles County Holiday Tour

Burch House

On December 3 and 4 CCASM hosted visitors at Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2022 Charles County Holiday Tour.  Historic homes, churches, and cultural venues throughout the County participated in this free event.

At least twenty groups of people (mostly on Sunday afternoon when the weather was nicer) came by Burch House this year to hear about this eighteenth-century house and about one of its owners and residents, Washington Burch.  And no visit to Burch House is complete without learning a little about archaeology in Port Tobacco.  There was hot cider, home-baked cookies and coffee cake, chocolates, and even an activity for children.  (It's easy to forget to take pictures when you are interacting with visitors, but we did remember to take a few.)

Visitors Looking at Artifacts

Mary at the Food Table

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments and one with paper ornaments.  Visitors also noticed that the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco had updated the kitchen that included washing and ironing objects that could have been used by the Burchs.

Paper Ornament Tree

 

Kitchen Hearth

 

Crocheted Ornament
Tree

   

Thanks to Elsie, Denise, Pat, Peggy, and Carol for being there to talk with the visitors.  And a special thanks to Mary who was in charge of the baked goods, hot cider, and everything else needed to enjoy them.

Burch House on 2021 Holiday Tour

Welcome to Burch House

CCASM hosted Burch House on the 2021 Charles County Holiday Tour that was December 4-5 (11am - 4pm).   Eleven other sites also participated in the event.  

Visitors were able to enjoy Christmas decorations from a simpler time, learn about the history and archaeology of Burch House, and see some of the tools archaeologists use.  Children were given activity-to-go bags.  

There were only twenty-six visitors on Saturday and nine visitors on Sunday, but we enjoyed talking with all of them.

Checking out Archaeology
Done at Burch House

Pointing out Ghost Image
of Stairs 

Looking at Artifacts
Recovered at Port Tobacco

Thanks to Elsie, Linda, Peggy, Denise, Claudia, and Carol for volunteering to be at Burch House during the event.  And thanks to Mary for putting together the activity-to-go bags.

Decorating for 2021 Holiday Tour

 Monday November 29 all lab work was suspended in order that we could decorate the inside of Burch House for the upcoming Charles County Holiday Tour that will be Dec 4-5.  Elsie was assisted by Peggy and Claudia in decorating the trees and in putting together greenery displays.  Esther dropped by to help.  And Mary came by to collect the supplies for putting together activity-to-go bags.  Everything turned out quite nice.

Crocheted Decorations

Paper Decorations

Elf Misting Greenery

CCASM at the 2019 Holiday Trail

On December 7 and 8 CCASM hosted visitors in the South Wing of the Port Tobacco Courthouse  during the 2019 Charles County Holiday Trail.  Since Burch House was closed, CCASM brought the decorations and archaeology displays from Burch House to the Courthouse.  Fourteen historic sites participated in this free event.

Over a hundred visitors visited the South Wing this year.  They heard about the history and archaeology of Burch House, saw some of the tools archaeologist use, and were able to make a Christmas ornament to keep or to hang on the smaller Christmas tree.  Several also took a copy of the "Discovering Historic Port Tobacco" Archaeological and Historical Activity Booklet that CCASM helped develop last year.

CCASM members decorated the room simply for the holidays in keeping with Burch House.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees decorated with crocheted ornaments.  At the end one of the trees was also decorated with additional ornaments made during the event.  And as a special treat on Sunday Janna and Mary were dressed in period costumes.

Special thanks to Denise, Mary, Linda, Janna, Carol, and Esther for being there to talk with the visitors and for helping with the children's activity.  And a special thanks to Mary and Janna who baked cookies.  

Burch House on 2018 Holiday Trail

On December 1 and 2 CCASM hosted visitors at Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2018 Charles County Holiday Trail.  Fourteen historic sites participated in this free event.

Eighty-eight visitors came by Burch House this year to hear about this eighteenth-century house and about one of its owners and residents, Washington Burch.  And no visit to Burch House is complete without learning a little about archaeology in Port Tobacco.  Several people stayed a little longer to have some hot cider and home-baked cookies.

New this year at the Port Tobacco Village sties was a "Discovering Historic Port Tobacco" Archaeological and Historical Activity Booklet for students of all ages.  At least sixteen young people completed three or more age appropriate activities that allowed them to receive a certificate and a small prize.  

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments (on loan from one of our members) and one with paper ornaments we had made.  Visitors also noticed that Charles County had recently added more period furnishing and other accessories to the house.

Special thanks to Elsie, Denise, Mary, Linda, Carol, and Esther for being there to talk with the visitors and for taking care of the refreshments.  And a special thanks to Elsie who coordinated the event and to Mary who baked the cookies.  Also thanks to Mike and Linda for providing photos.

Burch House on 2017 Charles County Holiday Trail

On December 2 and 3 representatives from CCASM and from Charles County Planning hosted visitors at Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2017 Charles County Holiday Trail.  We enjoyed sharing the history of this eighteenth-century house.  And we especially enjoyed talking about archaeology in Port Tobacco.

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house.  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments (on loan from one of our members) and one with paper ornaments we had made.  To make it more festive hot cider and cookies were served.

Special thanks to Elsie, Evelyn, Esther, and Cathy for being there to talk with the visitors and for taking care of the refreshments.

Burch House on Charles County Holiday Trail

Burch House for the Holidays

 

On December 10 and 11 CCASM members hosted visitors to Burch House in historic Port Tobacco during the 2016 Charles County Holiday Trail as well as for the Candlelight Tour in Port Tobacco on Saturday night.  We enjoyed sharing the history of this eighteenth-century house and of Washington Burch, an interesting African-American owner of the house.  And we especially enjoyed talking about the recent archaeology at Burch House - why it was needed, what was done, what we found, and what we learned.

Archaeology at Burch House

CCASM members decorated Burch House simply for the holidays in keeping with the house (and also with CCASM's limited budget.)  There was a lot of greenery and two trees - one decorated with crocheted ornaments and one with paper ornaments we had made.  To make it more festive hot mulled cider and cookies were served.

Visitors from St. Mary’s County
They loved-loved-loved the cookies and cider.

Tree with crocheted ornaments

Tree with hand-made paper ornaments 

Special thanks to Esther, Barbara, Elsie, Peggy, and Carol for being there to talk with the visitors and for taking care of the refreshments.

Burch House - Charles County Holiday Trail

The third Charles County Holiday Trail was held this past weekend (December 12-13).  One of the houses on the Trail was the Burch House in the historic Port Tobacco Village.  CCASM members hosted visitors to the Burch House.  There was a display highlighting the archaeology done at Burch House prior to the recent bathroom addition, and a display case with artifacts recovered from the 2010 Burch House excavation and from the recent Stagg Hall excavation.  And, of course, there was the Burch House itself, parts of which date back to the mid-eighteenth century.

Barbara represented CCASM at Burch House on Saturday.  Peggy and Carol represented CCASM on Sunday.