Tuesday, September 6, 2005

ROCKWOOD 2000 PLANS FOURTEENTH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR FEATURING “PIECES OF THE PAST”

    ROCKWOOD – Civic group Rockwood 2000 announces their fourteenth annual Christmas Tour of Homes is scheduled for Saturday, December 3rd from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Sunday, December 4th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  

    Finely decorated turn of the century homes, commercial buildings and the 1936 Tennessee Highway Patrol Station Museum welcome guests on a self paced tour through historic Rockwood, Tennessee. Heavy hors d'oeuvres are prepared and served from the available Christmas Cookbook. Guests have the opportunity to view a Civil War reenactment and encampment with a Christmas theme based on the actual founder of Rockwood. Reenactment is performed by the William A. Hamby Camp 1750 SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans). 

    "This year's tour will feature homes that have not previously been open in years past," according to Rockwood 2000 President Judy Wassom.  "We've added hot roasted chestnuts, cider and volunteer character actors who will portray characters from Rockwood's past.  These ‘pieces of the past’ serve as living history.  This will be a Christmas Homes Tour unlike all others."  

    The 1936 Tennessee Highway Patrol Museum will be open during the tour with retired Tennessee Highway Patrolmen on hand to answer any questions.  This museum was an original station in East Tennessee for patrolmen who were known as "revenuers" during the Thunder Road days of Tennessee's past.   

    Tickets to the event are $12 for adults, groups of 25 or more are priced at $10 each.  Visitors are encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance through the Rockwood 2000 website, or they can be purchased during the Tour of Homes from the historic Live and Let Live Drugstore in downtown Rockwood. Rockwood is in East Tennessee just off exit 347 on I-40. 

    Additional information on Rockwood's Christmas Tour of Homes is available on the web at http://www.rockwood2000.com. For more information, contact Judy Wassom at rockwood2000@rockwood2000.com or (865) 354-2877 or (865) 776-0510. 

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Prepared by Beverly Stroh