photo / The Bartlett House

Take a trip back in time with a Victorian Christmas at the Fannie Bartlett House in Olean, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Watch the Santa Claus Lane Parade before or after touring this beautifully restored mansion built in 1881 with 15 rooms, including a third-floor ballroom.

The historic house will be adorned with Christmas decorations during its annual open house on Friday from 6-9pm. There will be refreshments and raffle baskets, proceeds to benefit the Bartlett House. 

This Queen Anne-style house was originally built in 1881 by George Foreman, and purchased in 1891 by Frank and Fannie Bartlett for $15,000, a hefty sum for that time, he said. The house features nine rooms decorated in turn-of-the-century Victoriana and seven fireplaces, each different in design and composition.

Visitors will notice the intricate detail work in every room and that each room has a different floor design, some with as many as seven different woods imported from around the world.  Also, the Tiffany-style staircase window, the woodwork throughout and interesting period furnishings all present a step back in time.  This can be seen in the photo that shows historian, Dave Deckman, explaining some of the intricacies.

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