September 27, 2030
CONTACT: Trevor Beemon
Executive Director
678-594-4994
Displays will include 19th century embalming equipment, mourning jewelry made from human hair, and other curious artifacts related to mourning during the Victorian era.
MARIETTA, GA, September 25, 2023 - During the 1850s, Hannah and William Root shared their home with their children and extended family. Hannah Root's father, Leonard Simpson, lived with the family and passed away on October 11, 1856. For the month of October, the rooms inside the c. 1845 William Root House in downtown Marietta will be decorated as they would have been during Leonard's wake and funeral. Curtains will be drawn, a coffin will be placed in the parlor, and the house will be adorned with black crepe and ribbons. Visitors will be able to view 19th century embalming equipment, mourning jewelry made from human hair, and other curious artifacts related to death and mourning during the Victorian era. Daytime tours are included in the cost of regular museum admission.
Flashlight Tours:
On October 13th and 14th, visitors to the William Root House will explore darkened rooms decorated for a Victorian era funeral and lit only by candlelight. Tours are self-guided. It is recommended guests arrive no later than 8:30pm. Flashlight tours are $10 per person in advance and $15 per person at the door. Tickets are available online at roothousemuseum.com/funeral. Space is limited.
WHAT: Victorian Funeral Exhibit
WHEN: On display through October 28, 2023
WHERE: William Root House, 80 N Marietta Parkway NW, Marietta
TICKETS: roothousemuseum.com/funeral
ABOUT THE WILLIAM ROOT HOUSE: The Root House Museum is the first house museum in the U.S. to offer a fully self-guided touchscreen tour. One of the oldest homes in the Atlanta area, the Root House is more typical of its time and place than the columned mansions popularized by Gone With the Wind. While the home and grounds have been meticulously restored to their 1850s appearance, interactive electronic displays have been added to tell the story of life in antebellum Georgia.