Historic Strolls is Under Construction!

Yes, tis true! Historic Strolls website is under construction at the end of a very toasty and buggy Summer. It shall be good as new as soon as possible.

In the meantime, catch us on Facebook at historicstrolls or at ghost story tour of washington

Or on Twitter @DolleyM

We've been doing private tours this Summer and our Civil War tour returns next month on September 19th. And of course, Ghost Story Tour of Washington is just a whisper away. Brrr! Soon it shall be cold. Hard to imagine now that we are roasting....

See you in September!

Ps don't miss us in character at the National Air and Space Museum on September 12th. It's going to be a fantastic event and we are sending some very interesting characters! In the mean time, enjoy this still from our Downton Abbey Parody. It features Brandon Mitchell as "Thomas" and Desiree Gibson as "O'brien"

The Next Civil War is in June!

       Ah, Spring! 

Well, so many things are springing up right now. Mostly tours. We are busy leading private Ghost Story Tours for groups and events this month. There will not be a May Civil War tour. But it shall return next month.

The next Civil War walking tour is June 20th. Reservations can be made through our second website at  www.historicstrolls.weebly.com

We've been making some hoop-skirted appearances and if you have need of Civil War historic interpreters, contact us at 301- 346-5303 or through the weebly site. Our first website is undergoing a major renovation this summer and shall be periodically under the weather!

To see Natalie and June appearing in Civil War regalia for the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum "Mr. Lincoln's Air Force" event, click here."Mary Henry" and "Dorothea Dix"

Enjoy this lovely month of May and bring your parasol for the June tour! 

Natalie

Tis a Dickensian Workshop.....

        Well, the urchins are hard at work in the Dickensian workshop. They're getting ready for the Dickens Tour in December. This year it's December 20th and 21st at noon. This tour covers Charles Dickens visits to Washington City and features an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" on the tour. Tickets are on sale at www.historicstrolls.com and at historicstrollsweebly as well. For our military discount or student discount, please purchase from Mrs. Cratchit at the tour. Mrs. C will be at Cosi at 10th and E streets NW (1001 Pennsylvania Avenue is the proper address of Cosi but it's actually at 10th and E St NW) fifteen minutes prior to each tour to sell tickets. The tour is outdoors so dress warmly and we promise a lively experience! The  Cratchit Family Christmas Pudding recipe can be found here: Cratchit Family Pudding recipe

Photo by Pat Padua

This tour is accessible and military id is half price for id holders and their spouses. For more information write to mail at historicstrolls.com or call 301-346-5303.

This is from the first year of the Dickens tour in 2001

Doubting Abbey

Ghost Story Tour is On!

Ghost Story Tour is on for Friday October 11th! Meet the ghost under the awning at 858 Vermont Ave NW (McPherson Square Metro White House exit is closest) next to the Veteran's Administration building. Your ghostly guide will have umbrella and lantern!

And it's BoGo this weekend- buy one and get one free or just say your second person is a ghost and get in for $6.00!

Natalie

Shutdown Special on Ghost Story Tour!

    Tonight marks the return of Ghost Story Tour of Washington to Lafayette Square. The ghosts are ready and so are we! As always, military id gets you in for half price (and your kids under 16 for free). Our new student discount goes into effect tonight as well. Show your student id and get in for only $10. And, beginning tonight, October 4th, show your Government Id and get in for half price. To get your discount, simply purchase your ticket from the guide at the tour. She will be at the meeting spot at 7:45 before each tour.

Ghost Story Tour runs Fridays and Saturdays in October at 8:00pm. See www.historicstrolls.com for more details. Special tour on Halloween!

So many discounts, so many ghosts. Parking is always challenging in Downtown DC so we recommend Metro. The Ghost Story Tour begins at 858 Vermont Avenue NW, 20005, right outside the McPherson Square Metro "White House" exit.

Directions from the North, I-270
 Take I-270 South to 495 East
 Exit at Connecticut Ave. South (No. 33)
 Take Connecticut Ave. South approximately 7 miles
 Stay in center lane and continue under Dupont Circle, approximately 7 blocks to H Street
 Turn left at H Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue
 Tour meets at 858 Vermont (Vermont and I (eye) Streets)
Directions from New York, Baltimore and Delaware
 Take I-95 South toward Washington, D.C., to 495 West at Silver Spring, MD
 Exit at Connecticut Ave. South (No. 33)
 Take Connecticut Ave. South approximately 7 miles
 Stay in center lane and continue under Dupont Circle, approximately 7 blocks to H Street
 Turn left at H Street, to Vermont
 Turn left at Vermont
Directions from Northern Virginia
 Take Washington Exit onto George Washington Parkway
 Exit at 14th Street Bridge, Rt. 395 North
 Stay in left two lanes to exit onto Route 1, which will become 14th Street, and continue to I Street
 Turn left at I Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue
Directions from Richmond, VA
 Take I-95 North to 395 North, the 14th Street Bridge
 Exit onto 14th Street Bridge, Rt. 395 North
 Stay in left two lanes to exit onto Route 1, which will become 14th Street, and continue to I Street
 Turn left at I Street
 Turn left at Vermont Avenue

BRrrrrrrrrrr!

"Bloomers!" says Mrs Cratchit. Twas cold out there my dears, cold indeed. And Mrs. C forgot her over bloomers on the last tour. I had two pairs of woolies, one pair o' jeans, two shirts, two sweaters, one dress, two sweaters on top of that and one cape. And I am positive that I forgot to get a cast photo at the end. If anyone shot a nice pic of the cast on 12/24, do send it to me and if we use it, ye shall get a giftie from the Cratchits!
Each actor had many, many layers on this year. Our poor Desi and Nicolette each wore about 12 to 14 pounds of costumes during the shows. I was determined to keep these ladies toasty warm and they bore the burden with grace. But now a mountain of laundry awaits Mrs. C. Oh, ode to Joy. 'Tis the glamourous side of theatre! The wooly scarves are on the line as I type, the coats are joining them. And soon the slightly holey silk shirts shall make it a festive party out there. I scour thrifts throughout the tour season for silk shirts as they layer nicely. And if they have tiny holes, who can see it through the gleam of a beautifully nuanced performance?

We had lovely people on all the tours but my favorites have to be the wee ones who brave the chill (and Marley's ghost- brrrr!) to come and cheer on those Cratchits.

Now it's time to sip a tea, write a check to So Others Might Eat, thaw my fingers out (perhaps before I write that check?), and get ready for "The Expedition" which opens on January 7th. Walk off those Holiday calories as we ascend Capital Hill using the world's tiniest climbing rope. See the marvel of the City's oldest elevator, the secret connection to the Empire State Building, where the Star Spangled Banner was first sung in Washington City and much,much more.

And donate to charities my dear. Even a little can help a lot and you'll feel so good inside you may not need chocolate. Well, let's not get carried away, you may still need chocolate. Mrs. C does. But you will feel grand.

A Dickens of a Tour: Charles Dickens in Washington | Cosi | Penn Quarter | Washington Events at wusa9.com

A Dickens of a Tour: Charles Dickens in Washington | Cosi | Penn Quarter | Washington Events at wusa9.com

Tiny Fred? Tiny Tim?

Fun Facts for December: Dickens had a brother he called "Tiny Fred". In 1939, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week to stimulate the economy. Some continued to celebrate the holiday on the original date and dubbed the new holiday "Franksgiving".

Not so fun fact: It is going to be chilly out there this weekend. About 45 degrees I should think, so dress warmly for the Dickens tour my dears. Mrs. C will be wearing about 4 to 5 layers and will resemble a Thanksgiving Turkey herself. One year, I came the tour in curlers thinking I would have time to pull them out before the tour began. But of course, I forgot and this is the result in the photo at the top. I'm wearing curlers, a snood and two hats. My head was warm indeed!

Here's another year where I am not seen but am wearing two layers as it just wasn't that chilly. We cannot predict the weather so we scan www.noaa.gov for radar (oh, Rudolph with your nose so bright, are you just a sattelite?)

Brrr!

See you at Cosi, I'll be there at 11:45 before each tour to sell tickets and you can purchase them online also at www.historicstrolls.com up until 9:00 am the morning of the tour you wish to attend.

Mrs. C.

Pudding Anyone?

Well my, my, my,is it Fall already? The actors tell me it is and are requesting layers for Dickens. And layers they shall have! It's off to the fabric store this weekend to find a nice wool flannel for the littlest Cratchit and perhaps something for Mrs.C.? No? Well she can wait until Father Christmas comes. We had some lovely guests for the Ghost Story Tour last month and even on wickedly cold nights too! And then WUSA came on all Hallows Eve and filmed us for the nightly news. My, those ghosts looked chilly! Rehearsals are in progress for " A Christmas Carol" and we've got a new addition to the cast this year as we welcome Desiree Gibson to the Dickens tour. Tickets are on sale now for Dickens online at www.historicstrolls.com and the merriment awaits. And somewhere, pudding recipes are hiding! Mrs. "C"

Brrr! Those Ghosts are Chilly!

Good Heavens, it's early for snow isn't it? Ah well, we've got to ghost tonight in our wellies and warmest capes. If you have tickets for Saturday, October 29th, and you don't want to come out in this lovely "weather", you can use the tickets on the 30th or 31st. We haunt tonight and Sunday at 8pm and on Monday, Halloween, at 7:30pm.

We'll be dressed in layers at Vermont and I (eye) St NW. This is the White House exit of the McPherson square Metro Station.

We'll be there at 7:45 tonight, if you don't have tickets, you can buy them from the ghost (exact change welcomed with a curtsey :)

Hauntedly,

Natalie

April 14th, 1865

Can it already be Spring?? Yes it can and we're getting ready for our April event:
"Courage! The Civil War in Washington: April 14th, 1865".

What an unwieldy title that is. But it shall remain until some enterprising person comes up with a better one. On April 16th, 2011, we shall relive the fateful day, 146 years ago, that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. How did it unfold? Who were the players? What is Mrs. Surratt doing with that package? And why is the actor, Wilkes Booth in town? He's not on any playbill, isn't that odd?......

Meet Demetria Parrish, your costumed guide, at 10th and E STreets NW (Cosi) at 11:00am on April 16th, 2011. No reservations needed.

Sponsored by Natalie Zanin, aka www.historicstrolls.com. Since 2001, Washington DC's original costumed, character led tours.

Cratchits! Snow! Whom Shall Triumph???

Tonight


Snow
Likely
Lo 27 °F Sunday


Heavy
Snow

This is the latest weather from www.noaa.gov a lovely site where you merely type in your zip code and a forecast appears just for you- zounds!

Well, This doesn't bode well at all. The Cratchits are preparing for tomorrow's tour and we'll assess the snow mass early in the am on Sunday the 26th. If you are planning to come down for Sunday's tour, please call 301-588-9255 by 9:00 am a message about the weather and the tour shall be posted. In the mean time, stay warm, eat pudding and dream of sugar plums my dears. Brrrrrr!

Mrs.C and Tiny Tim

Dickensian Weather!

Saturday, the 11th in Washington City (Downtown DC)


Mostly
Sunny
Hi 47

Hurrah! says Tiny Tim. Sunny and forty seven degrees. Bundle up my dears. The Cratchits wear multiple layers on the Dickens Tour. And those little handwarmers they sell at the hardware store are also a lovely addition to your outerwear. This tour is so lively it will keep you warm And after the tour duck into one of the many toasty restaurants in Penn Quarter to warm up. Zatinya at 9th and G (right around the corner) has a fireplace which is wonderful. Poste, inside the Monaco Hotel is lovely and warm inside and the food is delightful. Cosi, our starting point, has a hot, hot bread oven that is lovely to look at. And right across the street from Cosi is the Giffords Hot Chocolate window. There is also Bistro d'OC on 10th Street.

Things to see after the tour: shopping is easy with the Downtown Holiday Mart at 8th and F (you can't miss it my dears!)

More anon,

Mrs. C

What the Dickens????

Yes it is too true, Dickens is about to hatch once again. December 11th, 18th and the 26th. All at noon, all accessible and all so very, very much fun!

Meet Mrs Cratchit at Cosi at 10th and E and witness the wonder that is "A Dickens of a tour, Charles Dickens in Washington"

Courage in November!!!

Well the leaves are falling and the long underwear is pulled out of the cedar chest and it's time for the November "Courage! The Civil War in Washington". We'll reenact the War era in Washington City, celebrate the new holiday created by Abraham Lincoln (guess which one??) and take home a holiday war era recipe. Meet us at 10th and E Streets NW (across from Giffords Hot chocolate window on E and the E Street Cinema) at 11:00 am on November 20th. It's a fine way to start the holiday season and one of our guests from the Ghost Story tour won a walk on role on Halloween night so that will be an exciting event for both of us! Www.historicstrolls.com for more details. No reservations needed. Above are special photos taken during a very unusual Courage tour in 2009 when we were invited into the Clara Barton's Apartment and the Office of Missing Soldiers at 437 7th street NW by Richard S. Lyons. I climbed the stairs (in a hoop skirt!) and viewed Clara Barton's Civil War Washington home for the first time and it was delightful and dusty!

the Dickens you say???

Yes, m'dears, Dickens arrives on December 12 and he is in fine fettle. And Tiny Tim too, as he puts his wellies on for rehearsals (bit damp out there)and joins the Cratchits for some cocoa after tromping about. The mutton returns this year as does the rubber chicken. Ah, it's good to see the chicken up and about!

It shall be the most fun ever and Dickens bades you to come along for the merriment.




Join him at noon for " A Dickens of a Tour: Charles Dickens in Washington" at 10th and E St NW, (tickets on sale at 11:45am) on the 12, 19th, 26 and just added, December 27th!

www.historicstrolls.com for exciting info!

No reservations, just good Dickensian fun!

Cheerio,

Mrs C.

Out Damp Ghosts. Out I say!

Mercy! Twas the night of all Hallows Eve and all through the park, not a ghost tour was walking, not a spirit did lark. It seemed as though we should not get to thrill, but the Park maintenance showed or I'd be standing there still!

Yes, there was trick or treats at the White House last night and we were told that the park would either open at 9:30pm or at 6:00 am the next day. Yikes! I quickly went to Plan B which skirts the Park. But suddenly as I was handing out shredded bits of cardboard (having dropped half of the tickets into a rainy gutter during our attempt to sweet talk the Park Police), an actor appeared (the lovely Miz June) and announced that the park was open again. Huzzah!!

And what a wet and wooly tour it was. About 69 degrees when we started and with 10000 percent humidity (is that possible??)so I told the ghosts to switch wigs and hats and keep the same skirt on throughout. Ah, there is nothing like the smell of wet wool bonnets. And now as everything begins to dry I can safely say that this was our wettest ghost tour season ever! And next year, waterproof hoop skirts!

Oh Mr. Sun, please come out in November :)

"Courage! The Clara Mystery Revealed"

Is June almost over already? Good heavens. Still time to take the Courage! tour though and tomorrow's edition will reveal a mystery. Since the late 1860's a room was hidden in a building on 7th Street NW. About to be knocked down the building was being-....well, I'll let him tell it because on Saturday, June 20th, the Courage! tour will have a special guest and make a very special journey back in time to see Clara Barton's room, hidden for so many years. Join us won't you? The tour meets at 10th and E STreets NW (Cosi) at 11:00 am sharp and we'll trot down E street to go visit Miss Barton's room. This tour is accessible except for the 42 step climb to Clara's room.

Will the North win the war? Will Demetria Parrish be able to climb the 42 steps in her hoop skirt??? See how it's all resolved on Saturday, June 20th at 11:00 am.

www.historicstrolls.com for info or 301-588-9255

no reservations, just join Demetria Parrish who will be at 10th and E NW (Cosi) at 10:45 to sell tickets.

It takes courage to put on a hoop skirt....

Mercy Maud! Is it May already??? How did this happen and why aren't my pumpkin seedlings in the ground already? Woe betide the rain beset gardener and hapless is she who forgot to put the little markers on the peat pots. (say peat pots three times very fast) Who can say what will arrive come June.

And speaking of June, our fair June who plays Miss Dorothea Dix and Mary Surratt is out for a spell and we miss her dearly already. But the show goes on and so a hasty rehearsal is arranged and scripts memorized for this next week's incarnation of "Courage! The Civil War in Washington" (May 16th, 11:00 am).

Will the rains abate for our tour? Will the masses arrive to see dramatic scenes evoking the 1860's in Washington City? And will I be able to fit into my costume after all those little gluten-free donuts??

Do join us and see! www.historicstrolls.com