That One Time I Drank a Beer on Tour at Glensheen
With the new 21+ Flashlight Tour in full swing, I decided to join in on the fun. And by fun I mean taking a glass of beer on tour into a totally dark mansion. Epic.
To begin the evening, we were welcomed into the Carriage House. The Carriage House gives tour guests a look at where the Congdon’s livestock lived, at the carriages that they owned, and at the gift shop that is now housed in this historical space. Along with all this goodness, for this tour and this tour only, there is a bar where guests can purchase a beverage of their choice (beer or wine) to be poured into their complimentary Glensheen Flashlight Tour branded pint glass with sippy cup lid. You read that right. SIPPY CUP LID. Yes, it seems funny to be drinking alcohol through a sippy cup lid, but that’s part of the magic of this tour. ;)
Soon, the tour guide came to gather the group. We began our journey which started in a new space that has never before been seen on tour — the Fireplace Room. It is connected to the Carriage House, and when Glensheen was in full swing this portion of the building was where the male staff members lived. In more recent history, the space was used as an office area for Glensheen staff, but now, for this tour only, you will be taken to this area to warm up by the fire and to learn a little bit of history on the family.
Because the new Flashlight Tour has a small group size of only 6 guests per tour, the time spent in the Fireplace Room allowed us to get acquainted with our guide and each other. This is especially beneficial when you are blindly following a guide with one flashight into a mansion that is otherwise pitch black.
Next, the guide took us up to the mansion. With our drinks in hand and our sippy cup lids on tight, we made the journey from the Fireplace Room to the mansion’s foyer. When inside, it was dark. And I mean DARK. Here is where we met the second guide that would join us on the tour. With one guide in front and one in back, we began the tour through the house. Starting opposite of the traditional daily tours, we began on the 3rd floor of the mansion and worked our way down. We saw so many things in a whole new light.
Kicking off the tour, the third floor did not disappoint. One of the first spaces that we saw was, for me, one of the most memorable. In the married guests’ bedroom, the guides highlighted one of the most unique pieces of art in the home. Above the bed, there is a portrait of a sailor that is nicknamed “The Lusty Sailor.” According to our guides, the Congdon family’s maids did not like to clean this room because the feeling that the sailor was staring at them creeped them out. To prevent this feeling, they would cover the artwork with a sheet while they cleaned the room and would try to finish up in that room as fast as possible.
On the second floor, another art piece stood out to me. In the hallway, there is a painting of a young girl holding a cat. This is said to be a portrait of the artist’s daughter. The unique thing about this piece is that wherever you go the eyes of the girl follow you. Scooby-Do, anyone? It’s one thing to see this effect during the day, but by the light of a flashlight the phenomenon becomes much more intriguing (and a little spooky).
To complete the tour, our guides walked us through the main floor. One of the more well know pieces at Glensheen was highlighted on this portion of the tour. In the living room, the Paris by Day, Paris by Night lamp is always a guest favorite. During the day on a tour, guests can’t get the best view of what the lamp looks like when it is turned on. On the Flashlight Tour, though, the lamp was turned on in the dark, and we were able to see Paris by Night in its full glory.
In one of the final rooms on the tour, the Formal Dining Room, some of my favorite pieces were showcased. One of the cabinets in this room houses the family’s Vaseline glass. Made by uranium oxide being added to molten glass to create each piece, they glow a beautiful neon green color under a UV light. Something that is not easily seen in the daylight.
To conclude the tour, we took the stairs from the kitchen down into the basement. All of the basement lights remained on, so we explored the remaining rooms in the light (after our eyes adjusted, of course) and then went our separate ways for the evening.
All in all, this tour is one of a kind. Whether you want a unique date night, a night out with a twist, or you just love Glensheen (because I know you do), you will love this tour.
Having a drink on the tour sure doesn’t hurt either. ;)