YANKEES ARE COMING TO THE ROCKWOOD CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR
ROCKWOOD– For the past sixteen years, civic group Rockwood
2000 has celebrated Christmas with an annual tour of historic homes accompanied
by a Civil War Encampment. These
encampments featured authentic 
costumed characters with skillful reenactments
of a fictitious Christmas scenario during the mid-1800s. This year the scenario has changed. The Confederate encampment takes place during
a Christmas cease-fire ordered and negotiated by higher headquarters. As luck would have it, a band of Union
soldiers is expected to be in Rockwood right around the time of the Christmas
Home Tour scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd from
The Civil War is not the only portion of history that will be revisited during this living history event. Two of Rockwood’s most notable former residents will be portrayed and interact with visitors. Miss Bess Wilson was a well known liberated single woman who operated her own business. During the home tour she will openly share her opinions on social, political and religious topics as she did during her lifetime. Miss Bess is easily recognizable by the cigarette in a holder she always carried. She is portrayed by Ms. Linda Fuller and will be available in the Peterman House, one of Rockwood’s original homes. Another Rockwood resident was Mr. Harry T. Burn. The youngest member of the House of Representatives in both the 1919 and 1921 sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly, Mr. Burn cast the deciding vote for the 19th Amendment to the Federal Constitution allowing women the right to vote. Harry T. Burn is portrayed by Ken Yager and can be seen throughout Rockwood sometimes accompanied by Suffragettes.
Christmas carolers,
delicious refreshments and more all combine to make the 2006 Tour of Homes
unforgettable. The Live and Let Live
Drugstore should be the first stop for visitors," advises Judy Wassom,
president of Rockwood 2000. "Tickets can be purchased in this recently
expanded 1880's era drugstore where you can still buy old fashioned candy by
the pound and a Citrus Smash at the counter of the soda fountain." The
tickets for the home tour include a map with designated points of interest. The
tour is self-guided allowing visitors to leisurely stroll through the historic
homes.
Ten of Rockwood’s residences will
open their doors to the public this year, allowing visitors a glimpse of homesused in Rockwood during the turn of the century. Two of the homes have never been on the tour
previously. The oldest home on the tour
this year is the Peterman House. Captain Daniel Peterman,
founder of the Peterman & Company Mercantile, built this gracious home
between 1880-1887. This Queen Anne house
features two staircases; an upstairs veranda; walk-in pantry; wrap around
porches and double front doors. The
Peterman House is owned by Marilyn Gentry.
The Rockwood Home Tour has traditionally been the major fundraiser for the non-profit group Rockwood 2000, with all proceeds going towards historic preservation, beautification and sponsoring events that celebrate community pride. This year the Rockwood Home Tour was advertised in the November issue of Southern Living. “We are thrilled to be included in Southern Living,” said Wassom. “The publication will let people throughout the South know about our town and our home tour. We have great expectations for increased attendance this year.”
Tickets to the Tour of Homes are
$12 for adults, groups of 25 or more are priced at $10 each. All Yankees
are welcome. Rockwood is located west of
Additional information on Rockwood's Christmas Tour of Homes is available on the web at http://www.rockwood2000.com. For more information, contact Beverly Stroh by emailing rockwood2000@rockwood2000.com or (865) 354-5116.
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Prepared by Beverly Stroh