Join a family-friendly tour of the 1897 Poe House to see its winter-themed decorations of silver and white and get a glittering glimpse of how Victorians in the early 1900s decorated their homes for Christmas.

Shimmering ornaments and local greenery transform this historic home into a holiday showpiece. Tour the Poe House, located at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, for a special look at the decor now through Jan. 9, 2011.

Tours are offered on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

Garlands of silver paper chains, lace hearts, silver pine cones, icicles and other items adorn the Christmas tree. Among the branches are ornaments recommended in 1903 and 1906 issues of Ladies' Home Journal. At the tree's base, cotton sprinkled with diamond dust covers the tree box.

In southern North Carolina, families decorated their homes with holly, magnolia, ivy, mistletoe, nandina and other greenery. At the Poe House, wreaths on the windows and pine swags on the porch railings create a festive welcoming touch. Impressive displays of local greenery and pine swags are featured indoors.

The Poe House dining room reflects decorating ideas from a 1904 issue of Ladies' Home Journal. A wreath of holly surrounds the table's centerpiece of poinsettias and holly. Large red ribbons extend from the centerpiece across the table. Pine boughs and holly and magnolia blossoms adorn the mantle and sideboard.

The Victorians made Christmas a time for family and children, and mothers and children worked hard to make their home a special place for the holidays. Come see an example of this at the Poe House.

For more information, call Heidi Bleazey at (910) 486-1330 or visit www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov.

* * * * *

The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues in Fayetteville. The historical complex is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

The historical complex is part of the Division of State History Museums, within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state's cultural resources to build North Carolina's social, cultural and economic future.

For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.