Christmas Stroll Well Attended

The Brazos Heritage Society’s Christmas Stroll in the East Side Historic District and related activities in Heritage Park on December 15, 2012, proved to be an overwhelming success.

 Four houses, beautifully decorated for the Christmas season, were opened for the Stroll.  Those opened included the home of Linda Roberts, better known as the Clary House, at 601 East 30th Street; Susan and Mitchell Roy’s home at 616 East 31st Street; the home of Isabel and Todd McPartlin at 501 East 31st Street; and Harriet and Phil Smith’s home at 705 East 31st Street.

In addition, two homes on opposite sides of Heritage Park, while not opened to the public, provided refreshments to Stroll participants.  Nat and Dan Hilliard at 615 East 30th Street and Donna and John Van Duyn at 615 East 31st Street served wassail and cookies.  

Throughout the evening the “Sweet Strings on the Brazos,” a mountain dulcimer band, provided beautiful Christmas music from the Matthew Winsper Knobel Memorial Gazebo in the Park.  The Park was decorated for the Christmas season, with hundreds of twinkling lights on the Gazebo and light poles.

A big hit of the evening was the opportunity to ride in the horse drawn carriage around the neighborhood, which was provided as part of the price of admission to the Stroll.

On the day following the Christmas Stroll, Isabel McPartlin, whose home was on the tour, sent a message to Society President Nat Hilliard; the relevant parts read as follows:

Hope ya’ll are having a wonderful Sunday!  

First, I would like to thank all of those who organized the Christmas Stroll event yesterday.  As first time participants we (Todd and I) don’t have anything to compare it to but the music, the carriage ride, and the wassail were great touches.  This combined with the gift of perfect weather from God made for an incredible evening!  

Todd and I were thrilled to be asked to participate and to be considered among the three other beautifully decorated homes on the tour.  

Nat – The signs you made were adorable and the feedback I heard from those who came through was nothing but good stuff.  Well done!  

Thank you again all!  

Merry Christmas!

Perfectly said, Isabel.  The 2012 Christmas Stroll was thoroughly enjoyable and brought back remembrances of Christmases past.

The Society’s Executive Committee is grateful for all the effort by so many people that made this such a successful event.

The Smilebox below provides additional photographs taken during the evening of the Stroll.