Trip Report
We left Valley River Center at 10:00 a.m. on a pleasant December day and after a brief stop at Santiam rest stop arrived at Deepwood Estate about 11:30. We had time to explore the 5.5 acres of English-style gardens and nature trail. We also read the kiosk with information about this 1894 residence which is now owned by the City of Salem and open for tours, lunches and teas. At 12:00 we were ushered into the two parlors and given a brief talk by our hostess. We then had a delicious lunch, served from the dining room, and most everyone sat in the parlor or at a table by the bay window. After lunch our hostess presented a program, "The Victorian Christmas", discussing many of the Christmas customs of 1894 and showing various antique ornaments, one of which was 125 years old. She read "T'was the night before Christmas" from a very old book and then played Silent Night on the player piano located in the parlor. After the program the group was divided and each group given a tour of the house upstairs and the kitchen area. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by Lord and Shruyvar, the northwest's first female architectural firm who designed the gardens in the 1930s. We left Deepwood about 3:00 and drove to the Oregon State Capital where most everyone visited the rotunda, which was lit and decorated. We stopped by Mission Mill for a short time so everyone could visit the shops there, and left for home about 4:00. We drove to the Corvallis exit and took the Peoria Road through Harrisburg and Coburg, both with lights and decorations. Many of the houses along this road were decorated. We arrived home about 6:00. Enjoying the Christmas spirit were Ethel Allen, Ewart Baldwin, Barbara & Paul Beard, Merry Bridgeman, Pat Bitner, Kent Christoferson, Mary Lee Cheadle, Peggy Esser, Margot Fetz, Virginia Galbreath, Barbara Hagerman, Dora Harris, Cay Hammer, Rosella Jones, Marcia Jordan, Ben Kirk, Veronica Krotts, Gloria Layden, Mary Lemons, Dodie Leppmann, Bonnie Manheim, Peggy Mathes, Hazel Peck, Barbara & Don Payne, Dorothy Quick, Liz Reanier, Janet & Dick Speelman and Bette Hack (leader).
