By MIKE FLETCHER
For more than 30 years, families have made the Seiberling Mansion a part of their Christmas celebration. It’s a tradition that’s been handed down over decades.
This year was no different as hundreds of people, young and old, gathered outside the Kokomo landmark Saturday to see Santa Claus and the lighting of the 11,372 square-foot mansion at 1200 W. Sycamore St.
“We just live on Wabash [Avenue] and take walks by the mansion all the time,” said Todd Fowler, who came to see Santa and the lights with his wife, Ronda, and granddaughter, Emma, 4.
“It’s a tradition,” said Ronda. “It kicks off the season.”
“I’ve been in love with the building,” said Kerri Butcher, as she and Graham Martin awaited Santa’s arrival.
“My mom volunteers for the mansion and always told me about it,” Martin said of the traditional lighting.
Built for Monroe Seiberling, the mansion has 19 rooms, including seven bedrooms, a music room and a ballroom. Construction on the huge structure began in October 1889 and was completed in the fall of 1891. The house was built at a cost of $50,000. The house is now home to the Howard County Historical Society Museum.
“”We just moved in the area and wanted to see it,” said Heather Wells, a Lancaster, Pa., native, as she and her daughter, Haylee, toured the mansion ground.
“A neighbor told us about it and we decided to come out.”
As the crowd gathered on the front lawn and porch, Santa Claus appeared in the distance on Kingston Road.
Instead of the traditional sleigh, St. Nick rolled up in a horse-drawn white carriage and greeted the crowd with a wave and a boisterous “Ho, ho, ho.”
Santa, along with Paul Wyman of the Wyman Group, then flipped the switch lighting up the mansion with Christmas lights.
People took tours of the mansion, which houses eight rooms on the first floor, seven on the second, and a grand ballroom on the third floor with an entrance to the rotunda outside, while others took carriage rides around the Silk Stocking Neighborhood.
“This is a great way to kick off Christmas with your family,” said Kelly Karickhoff, Howard County Historical Society executive director. “The lighting of the mansion gets everybody in the Christmas spirit. It’s a celebration of our tradition and heritage. It lets people know Christmas is here.”
The decorated museum stays open for tours until Dec. 23. It then reopens Dec. 26 to 30. The museum is open 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
“It’s a beautiful event,” said Paul Pfettscher. “The music, the lighting — everything is in time and Kelly Karickhoff does a great job.”
• Mike Fletcher is the Kokomo Tribune crime reporter. He can be reached at 765-454-8565 or mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com.
