Holiday Open House at Andrew Johnson Homestead NHS

We attended the annual Holiday Open House at the Andrew Johnson Homestead in Greeneville, Tennessee, on Friday, November 30, 2012.  This is the only time throughout the year that the home is open after dark.  In addition to being greeted by President Johnson at the beginning of the tour and shown the ground floor, his younger daughter Mary guided us through the upper floor.  

The President's bedroom

Small desk facing Main Street in the President's bedroom

Parlor

First Upstairs Bedroom

Second Upstairs Bedroom

Second bedroom includes a copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Several park rangers assisted by displaying rooms on both floors of the rear wing of the house.  Upstairs there are two bedrooms in the addition that was added during the final months of the president's term of office.  One bedroom opened onto the porch as well as another bedroom in the original part of the house.  The last upstairs bedroom opened only onto the porch.  This room was used by the president's son, Robert.

Third upstairs bedroom adjoins the first

Fourth upstairs bedroom used by Robert

Back on the main floor, rangers showed us a final bedroom that was not connected to the main part of the house, but was connected to the dining room.  This room was originally the dining room and attached to the kitchen, but the kitchen was moved to the basement during the renovations after the war.  We were also provided cookies and cider by the park superintendent, Lizzie Watts.  

Main floor bedroom accessible from porch and dining room

Dining Room on main floor

Kitchen preparation area

Kitchen hearth

Additional kitchen preparation area

Upon completion of our tour, we stood around one of two portable fire pits while awaiting the arrival of the Asbury United Methodist Church Community Children's chorus.  The church is immediately adjacent to the homestead on Main Street.  

Asbury UMC Community Children's chorus

Nearly one hundred visitors stood or sat on the side lawn while the chorus sang from the porch and stairs.  We thought it was a lovely way to kick off the Christmas season.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/anjo/index.htm.