Summary

Ellie Jacobson recounts a family visit to Dakota City Heritage Village, a living history museum in Minnesota, where they reconnect with Christmas traditions and create new memories.

Abstract

The Dakota City Heritage Village in Farmington, Minnesota, offers a unique opportunity to experience Christmas as it was celebrated in the early 1900s. Ellie Jacobson, a local writer, describes an annual family tradition of visiting the village during the first two weekends of December. The visit is a nostalgic journey, filled with old-fashioned charm, from the beautifully lit village under moonlight to the warmth of the church building playing Christmas music. Jacobson reflects on the significance of the McMenomy family home, the lace curtains symbolizing the American dream, and the joy of children interacting with Santa at the train depot. Despite her teenage sons' initial reluctance, the family reconnects with the past and each other, savoring hot chocolate and the shared experience of a bygone era. The article concludes with Jacobson's personal connection to the village and an invitation for readers to explore her other writings and support her work.

Opinions

Jacobson values the blend of old-fashioned and modern elements in the Christmas celebration at the village.
She cherishes the family memories created during these visits, especially the moments captured with Santa.
The author appreciates the historical significance of the village's buildings and artifacts, particularly the McMenomy family home.
Jacobson emphasizes the importance of experiencing history firsthand and the emotional connection it can evoke.
She believes in the enduring appeal of Christmas traditions and their ability to bring families together.
The author sees the village as a place where the past is not just remembered but experienced in the present.

Photography

A Family Stroll Through Christmas Past

An awe winter walk that brings the bygone to the present

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” ― Bob Hope

Dakota City Heritage Village is located in Farmington, Minnesota (about 40 miles south of the Twin Cities) on the county fairgrounds. This village is a living history museum with 22 buildings and 10,000 artifacts depicting life in the early 1900s.

During the first two weekends of December, you can time travel to Christmas past (with some modern accessories).

Photo by Ellie Jacobson. The children (and Santa) are known to the author and grant photo permission.

When my kids were little, we would take them each year to see the old-fashioned Santa. The above photo is one of my favorite photos with Santa. You can see the nerves and excitement in their faces.

Last year, of course, the village wasn’t open to the public so this year I jumped at the chance to take the kids again.

As we approached the village, the moonlight shone down, adding to the ambiance of the evening. The sky was glowing as much as the village.

The evening temps were in the 20s with no wind, so it was an enjoyable night to be outside for a few hours.

Church building. Photo by Ellie Jacobson

We started our stroll at the beautiful church building where Christmas music was playing which gave us a chance to warm up.

Walking down the lane. Photo by Ellie Jacobson

I failed to get a picture of the farmhouse, which I imagined was like the home my grandparents had as they were farmers in this area back in the early 1900s.

The house was built in 1870 by Edward McMenomy. A family member volunteered her time to speak about the home and her family in this front sitting room.

As mentioned in the info above, the lace curtains represented Edward’s first job in America as a lace peddler. I love those little details.

Inside train station. Photo by Ellie Jacobson

A few doors down was the train depot where kids can take pictures with Santa. My teenage sons skipped the long line this year.

Towards the end we stopped at one of the shops to warm up with hot chocolate. As we were sipping our hot drinks, I asked the boys if they remembered visiting the village when they were younger. They didn’t remember much of it, except for one thing. Santa.

It was nice to have the chance to go back as a family, creating new memories.

✍ Written by Ellie Jacobson, @2021 all rights reserved.

✨ I’m a freelance writer and editor from Minnesota, writing my first novel, a psychological suspense novel. Are you a writer? Check out Sparks, my newsletter filled with writing prompts to spark your creativity.

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