'Death Comes to the Tanner House' to explore 'Sorrows of the Civil War'
The impact of the Civil War on the personal lives of Aurorans will be explored at "Death Comes to the Tanner House: Sorrows of the Civil War" on Friday through Sunday, Oct. 26-28.
Fictional characters will inhabit the Tanner House Museum, depicting veterans, family members and neighbors dealing with the death of an officer just before the presidential election of 1864, in the waning days of the Civil War.
Performances will be at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. each evening.
Reservations are required and may be made online at aurorahistory.net or by calling (630) 906-0650.
Admission is $15 per person, $12 for Aurora Historical Society members. Attendees under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Tanner House Museum is located at 304 Oak Ave., two blocks west of Lake Street (Route 31) and two blocks north of New York Street.
The 2018 program is the seventh "Death Comes to the Tanner House" offering.
Previous performances have presented various subjects, including the death of William Tanner in 1892, Victorian-era substance addictions and ill-advised Halloween revels in 1923.
The Tanner House was built in 1857 for prominent Aurora merchant William Tanner, his wife, Anna, and their nine children. This Italianate-style house was donated to the Aurora Historical Society by two daughters in 1936. During the year, the house shows life in an upper-middle-class home in the era 1875-1900. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The house features high ceilings, oak grained woodwork, ornate plaster decoration, and antique furnishings. Stop by and take a step back into the Victorian era.
There is additional information at www.facebook.com/AuroraHistory/ or aurorahistory.
In continuous operation since 1906, the Aurora Historical Society is one of the oldest institutions in the Chicago area. The historical society gives the past a future by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and presenting the rich, diverse history of Aurora and the surrounding area. Come tour the 1857 Tanner House, check out the exhibits at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, or make an appointment to do research at the History Center. Enjoy Aurora Historical Society's special events such as lectures, cocktail parties for exhibit openings, July Fourth Ringing of the Bells, and Holiday Open Houses at the Tanner House Museum. Stop by the gift shop for holiday shopping.