5 Things to Do at an Old Fashioned Christmas
Abilene's Cowtown Christmas is December 3 & 4, and the Dickinson County Heritage Center is celebrating with an Old Fashioned Christmas. Tickets are $5 per person. Children ages five and under are free.
5 Things to Do at an Old Fashioned Christmas:
1. Enjoy Christmas in the Cabin
Enjoy Christmas and treats in an original two-story log cabin.
The Larry Latzke family donated the two-story cabin to the Dickinson County Historical Society and moved to its present location under the guidance of Joe Minick. The cabin is also featured on the Heritage Center's 2022 Christmas Ornament.
2. Hear Live Music
Enjoy live music from The Fiddlers, Talmage Quartet, Brigade Band, and Hiebert's Dulcimers playing Christmas classics.
3. See a 4-H Christmas Tree Decorating Contest
See a variety of decorated Christmas trees from 4-H clubs from around the county.
4. Shop in Burklund's Grocery Store
The Hoffman Mill will be selling their delicious fudge and other popular items in the Burklund Grocery Store.
5. Ride a 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel
Ride the oldest operational C.W. Parker carousel known to exist, still delighting children as it did in the Gilded Age prior to World War I. Learn the rags to riches story of Charles Wallace Parker, who spent most of his last dollar to buy his daughter rides on a carousel instead of purchasing groceries; seeing the excitement on her face as she rode, he decided to get into the carousel business and later became known as the Amusement King.
The 1901 carousel features horses and chariots artistically hand-carved by German immigrants. Hear the music of the 1904 Wurlitzer Band Organ, playing the tunes that kept children and adults thrilled and amused for decades as they rode the carousel at carnivals. During special events, the carousel is operated by a steam engine, just as it did a century ago.