Christmas at Sotterley

Story by Jackie Zilliox
Photograph courtesy of Sotterley Plantation

For a few weekends in December the traditional holiday spirit awakens at Sotterley, a national historic landmark on the banks of the Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County.

The home’s most famous owners were the Platers, pronounced Playter,” says Katherine Stormont, director of marketing at Sotterley. “Mr. George Plater was the sixth governor of Maryland. In one of our Christmas events we have first person characters from the Port Tobacco Players conduct candlelight tours through the manor. It is our hope that all will come to experience the warmth of our Christmas at Sotterley.”

“We’re very excited about our Christmas festivities this year,” says Executive Director, Katherine Elder.  “The first is A Plantation Christmas at Sotterley. It is December 7th and 8th from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and offers something for the whole family,” she explains.

According to Elder, the grounds will be decorated for the holiday with fresh green and fruit swags.  Folks can tour the colonial revival interpretation garden or watch the wreath making and greens demonstrations.

“For the children we have a holiday scavenger hunt,” says Mary Jane Shoemaker of the Sotterley Garden Guild. “Trinkets will be hidden and prizes given to those who find them.”

“St. Nicholas and his elves will be there,” continues Elder, “and you’ll find some good photo opportunities by the horsedrawn Santa taxi rides.”

The event will also feature a merchants market in the barn that will have craft items for sale and there will be live seasonal music and treats.

Adult admission is $7 and three to twelve year-olds are $3. It is also the first chance to enter to win the 2003 quilt and needlework pieces that will be on display.

“The weekend of December 13th and 14th from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. will be our Candlelight Tours of the Manor House,” says Elder who explains that the evening will begin in the customs warehouse with live seasonal music and hot cider and cookies. When guests arrive at the warehouse a guide will take visitors back in time to 1790 as they walk to the manor where George Plater and Elizabeth Rousby Plater welcome guests as Christmas festivities are underway.

The dining table will be set with a Christmas feast, period music will be played, and guests will be treated to a special tour through the house by candlelight.

As visitors progress through the manor prominent guests as well as others who worked and lived on the plantation will be introduced.”

Reservations are required.  Admission is $10. Group rate for 20 is $8.

Sotterley pre-dates Mount Vernon and Monticello. The initial construction of the manor was around 1717. It has been a frontier farm, tobacco plantation, colonial port, and a busy steamboat landing. It was even a launching point for a counter-attack against the British in the War of 1812.

Sotterley has nine separate periods of construction. The home’s surviving original two-room frame is more informative than a dozen excavated archeological sites.  A handful of other 18th Century American buildings reveal similar craftsmanship, but none as extensively. The house also contains significant Georgian-period wood-work.

Also on the 90-acre site are buildings from the 18th through early 20th Century such as a brick storehouse, smokehouse, gatehouses, barns and an original surviving slave cabin.

Make plans to visit Sotterley this holiday season and experience Christmas of yesteryear.

For more information call 301-373-2280 or 800-681-0850 or visit www.sotterley.com.