Beekman House Tours: “Victorian Etiquette”
Mind Your Manners—Victorian Etiquette at Jacksonville’s Historic Beekman House
JACKSONVILLE, OR –Mindyour manners! Join HistoricJacksonville, Inc. on Saturday, June 20, at the 1870s Cornelius C. BeekmanHouse Museum when we kick off our 2026 season of “Victorian Days” tours with alesson in “Victorian Etiquette.” This “mannerly” opening is the first in aseries of monthly tours that allow guests to view different aspects of a late19th Century lifestyle through the lens of Southern Oregon and theBeekmans, Jacksonville’s wealthiest and most prominent pioneer family. The BeekmanHouse Museum is located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
Our one-hour“Victorian Etiquette” tours explore 19th Century rules for socialinteraction as the Industrial Revolution created a new middle class withsocietal aspirations. Costumed docents will be focusing on class distinctions,appropriate dress, and specific etiquette concerns such as calling cards,posture and poise, fan flirting, flower language, and table setting and tablemanners. Tours begin every 20 minutes between 12 noon and 3 p.m. with tour sizelimited to eight people. Reservationsare required. Tickets are $10 and can bepurchased at https://www.historicjacksonville.org/victorian-theme-tours/
For the Beekmans and the aspiring middle class, proper etiquettewas essential to maintaining social standards. Thanksto more than 60 etiquette guides published during the 1870’s and 1880’s,Victorians could learn the rules of “polite society”—how to conduct themselvesin all social situations. The 19thCentury manners expressed in these books included many elaborate social ritualsthat seem quaint today, but most of the pages were devoted to common senserules like “Don’t chew with your mouth open” or “Don’t interruptpeople.” While the rules of etiquette havechanged, many good manners are universal, and many rules of etiquette that wereonce based on moral principles continue to exist today.
Etiquette is the first in a series of HistoricJacksonville’s Victorian themed tours at the Beekman House on the thirdSaturday of each month. Special weekend tours will be offered in both Septemberand October. Future topics include “Travelin the Victorian Era,” “Victorian Hobbies and Crafts,” “Victorian MedicalPractices,” and “Victorian Mourning Customs” or “How the Victorians honoredtheir dearly departed.”
Victorian Etiquette tours are $10 with on-line reservations required. Tickets are available at https://www.historicjacksonville.org/victorian-theme-tours/. Historic Jacksonville, Inc. is anall-volunteer organization. Proceedsfrom all tours benefit historic restoration projects. For additionalinformation and other season offerings, contact info@historicjacksonville.org or 541-245-3650or visit www.historicjacksonville.org.
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