The Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery recently announced that local historian Rebecca Williams will give a talk on the history of American Halloween customs and celebrations.
“Weird Old Figures and a New Twist: Halloween in the United States During the Gilded and Progressive Ages” will take place at the Glencoe Mansion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24. All are welcome. There is no admission charge.
Halloween, an Irish folk holiday in origin, came to the United States during the mid-1800s in the hearts and minds of immigrants from the British Isles. However, it took several decades for the holiday to take root and spread across the nation.
In her talk on the origins of an “American” Halloween, Rebecca Williams will use newspapers, magazines, postcards, and party catalogs to reveal who was behind Halloween’s first burst of popularity in the U.S., how they shared it far and wide, and what deep cultural meanings it held for them in an era of great change.
Rebecca Williams, a native of Radford, graduated in May 2017 from Virginia Tech with a Master’s degree in History and Public History. She currently works Administration and Communications Director for St. Philip’s Anglican Church in Blacksburg alongside her role as Social Media Coordinator for the Glencoe Mansion.
The Glencoe Mansion is the historic home of General Gabriel C. and Nannie Radford Wharton. It is a combination of house museum, history exhibits and art gallery open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m.
