Situate at the top of Virginia Avenue, the home now known as the Monroe House was built circa 1872 – when Ulysses S. Grant was president of the United States.

 

Grant and other presidents through history are featured on one of the Monroe family’s 15 Christmas trees. The front living room, known this holiday season as the presidential room, is furnished with a Victorian cameo-back sofa, wing chairs, oak bow front china cabinet and late-19^th century pump organ. The entire room is embellished with American flags and an abundance of Victorian-style Christmas decorations.

 

The public is invited to step inside the historical Bridgeport home and enjoy room after room of Victorian-style holiday décor. Tours will be held 1-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $15 each. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the North Central West Virginia Coalition for the Homeless.

 

Owned by J.C. and Brenda Monroe, the home was one of several featured in an autumn-time tour to benefit the coalition. The tour was organized by Helen Jones, a long-time volunteer and advocate for homeless services and also a former owner of the Monroe House.

 

“It went so exceptionally well and a lot of people said they would love to see the house at Christmastime,” Brenda Monroe said. “So I thought, ‘Why not?’ We decided it was the perfect opportunity to give back and raise a little bit of money for the coalition.”

 

For the past two months, the Monroe family has been very busy decorating their home to the hilt. Every single room in the local historic home is decorated with a Victorian Christmas theme in mind. Ranging from 18 inches to seven feet, Christmas trees grace nearly every room, as well as the porches and gazebo.

 

Some rooms have been decorated around a particular idea. Such is the case with the bedroom of 19-year-old Katelynn Monroe.

 

Featuring three white trees – decorated in whimsical past, present and future themes – the room showcases the essence of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.”

 

“The ‘Christmas past’ tree has older, handmade ornaments and the ‘Christmas present’ tree is mostly done in gold and white and the ‘Christmas yet to be’ tree has a wedding veil on it, with baby clothes and all the things she would want in her future.”

 

The attic of the house is decorated in a children’s theme, featuring dollhouses, ribbon-wrapped books and a tree decorated in Raggedy Ann dolls and ornaments.

 

Those taking part in the tour are welcome to enjoy the decorations for as long as they would like, then visit the heated backyard gazebo – also decorated, of course – for desserts, hot chocolate and hot apple cider.

 

The Monroes purchased the house from Jones about 13 years ago. She was able to share some interesting information about the home, which still contains original walnut and oak trim and staircase, as well as hinges and door knobs.

 

The home was built between 1872 and 1877 by John Lodge, for which Lodgeville was named. It was built with the wood timbered from the 84 acres which surrounded the building site. Generations of the Lodge family owned the home until sometime during the 1970s.

 

“We believe we are just the seventh owners of the house and we do feel really fortunate that it has been well taken care of,” Monroe said. “It is a really beautiful house and we really enjoy it. 

 

The Monroe House is located at 306 Philadelphia Avenue, at the top of Virginia Avenue.