GIRARD — The Girard Historical Society has decorated the historic Barnhisel House for holiday open houses.

Paula Jasper, tour guide, said what’s on display is “everything that is reflected of being inside a federalist house that was built in the early 1840s, and most of them (the vintage pieces) are authentic to the house.”

Jasper said some of the items exhibited came from other collections but fit.

“The historical society is very concerned and wants to be able to reflect the time of the 1840s,” she said.

The 10-room, Greek Revival-style Barnhisel House, 1011 N. State St., will be open 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and Dec. 14 and 15. The suggested donation is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children.

Roberta Lawrentz, former president at the Barnhisel House, said a wide variety of people donated the Christmas decorations on display.

“All the decorations are from the early 1900s with original candles. These two trees — one in the parlor and one upstairs — are from The Herb Society and flower committee,” she said.

“You will see there is a variety of different trees going through the house. Upstairs there is a tree called the old economy tree that they would’ve had way back, where the decorations were made of paper,” Lawrentz said.

Jasper said visitors are taken on a tour.

“It all depends on how fascinated you are, but you will be lovingly accompanied by someone telling you about each of the rooms you’re going in what they were used for and why they were built,” Jasper said.

Also on display is an old-fashioned quilt that is being raffled. The drawing will be Dec. 15.

Lawrentz said they’re always trying to do something different each year. “We made a connection with a member who is a collector of a lot of things, so last year he loaned us his clocks and this year he took some clocks and donated some permanent clocks for us.”

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