1870s Beekman House Tours: Victorian Mourning Customs
For Victorians, death was a part of life, giving it essential meaning, and they created elaborate rituals around the passing of a loved one. We would appreciate your reminding your audience that on two Saturdays and Sundays, October 3 and 4 and October 10 and 11, Historic Jacksonville, Inc. will be sharing how Victorians honored their “dearly departed” at Jacksonville’s 1870s Beekman House Museum, located at 470 E. California Street.
The house will be decorated as a Victorian house in mourning—coffin in the parlor, clocks stopped, mirrors draped in black, mourning wreath on the door. One-hour tours will begin every 20 minutes from 12n through 3pm with costumed docents sharing “Victorian Mourning Customs” including fashions, home décor, funeral etiquette, and social behavior, as well as superstitions, séances, mementos, and a few popular practices of the time that we would find bizarre today.
Tour admission is $10 and reservations are encouraged. Tickets and information are available at https://www.historicjacksonville.org/victorian-theme-tours/. “Walk ups” are accommodated based on space available. All proceeds go to the preservation and maintenance of this historic landmark.
