The Jacobsburg Historical Society welcomed families and history enthusiasts to their two-day annual Christmas at Boulton event in Nazareth, offering a festive glimpse into holiday traditions of the past. Set amidst the beautifully preserved grounds of the Boulton Historic Site, the event celebrated both the spirit of Christmas and the area’s rich historical heritage.
Between 1790-1796, William Henry II (1757-1821) first purchased the Jacobsburg tract of land and an additional 165 surrounding acres to complete government arms contracts. In 1812, Henry’s sons began to build Boulton, a large gunworks on the Bushkill.
After Henry’s death in 1821, his son J. Joseph Henry (1786-1836) sold the contracts and moved the operation to the Henry Gun Factory on the land his father purchased. Then, in 1832, J. Joseph Henry and his wife Rebecca Smith Henry (1785-1871) built the federal-style townhouse on the land.
Since then, five generations of Henrys lived in the home, filling it with musical instruments, books, tools, paintings, furniture and numerous other personal belongings.
Upon entrance to Christmas at Boulton, visitors are transported through time in what can only be described as an enchanting experience of a bygone era.
The Boulton House and nearby historic buildings were open for tours, where knowledgeable docents dressed in period attire shared fascinating stories of the five generations of Henrys who once lived there and the holiday traditions they cherished.
This year, Boulton celebrated Christmas with a very special children’s theme. The Jacobsburg Historical Society and Boulton Historic Site also had several new additions this year that stood out to guests and historical society members alike including toys, games, clothing, china and an elaborate gold reconstructed frame over the mantel in the back parlor.
The frame was found in fragments in the coal bin of the home and the Ladies at Boulton painstakingly matched and glued the pieces back into place. The frame was found to be constructed by Alfredo Candida in Florence, Italy sometime during the 19th century and similarly matches the gilded frame found in the front parlor, which holds a print of “The Madonna of the Chair” (brought to the house by James Henry (1809-1895), so the Ladies at Boulton chose a print of “The Magdalen Reading” to compliment it. The sheer size and intricacy of the frames are simply stunning.
On the first floor, a formal dining room was added during renovations in 1884 and impressively, a rare, complete 20-place setting of black and white “Christmas china” that was crafted by John Ridgway from Staffordshire, England in the “Pomerania” pattern and only used at Christmastime was on full display. The china set was brought to the house by Mary Elizabeth Krause (1844-1934) when she married Granville Henry (1834-1912) and was given to the couple as a wedding gift when they married in 1869. A silver tea set and a hair wreath containing decorative flowers made from human hair were also on display in the dining room.
Upstairs, the children’s bedroom is situated directly above the dining room on the second floor of the house, which was added to the house during renovations in 1884 as well. The room contained an assortment of clothing, as well as a sampling of the Henry family toy collection including puzzles, books, dolls, doll furniture, tea sets, dog pull toys, farm animals, Tiddlywinks, jacks, bowling pins, marbles and hand-carved boats.
Also on the second floor sits the gentleman’s study and back hall, which include an early typewriter purchased by James Henry (1809-1895), an extensive collection of books, Granville Henry’s apparel, 1901 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school Dr. Thomas Henry Atherton Stites’ (1875-1959) medical clothing, instruments and his doctor’s bag that accompanied him on house calls, as well as an Italian violin made in Genoa, Italy between 1740-1750 belonging to Lydia Henry Stites (1913-1934).
Recently, Jacobsburg Historical Society members found Thomas Henry Atherton Stites’ wallet in perfect condition, which is also on display in the study.
Throughout the house, mannequins were positioned in nearly every room with clothing on each of them that was worn by the Henry men, women and children. Notably, the Ladies at Boulton had to get youth mannequins to display the women’s clothing because the Henry women were so petite. This included the items recently uncovered when members found “rags” stuck in the rafters, only to realize they were well-preserved dresses and other clothing items. It is quite marvelous that the Jacobsburg Historical Society is still finding treasured items to this day and will undoubtedly continue to find more as time goes on.
The house is even equipped with original chamber pots, adult and children’s beds, original wallpaper, spinning wheels, the original hearth in the kitchen and a grand square piano made by Chickering and Sons in Boston, which was purchased for an astounding $900 by the Krause family in 1868 for their daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who married Granville Henry.
The Ladies at Boulton also pointed out each of the family member portraits, providing an intricate backstory of each one. They also shared details about how Mary Henry Stites (1907-1989), the last of the Henry legacy, never married and had no children, so when she passed in 1989, she left the bulk of her estate including the J. Joseph Henry house to the Jacobsburg Historical Society.
Although the Henry lineage may have ended with Mary’s passing, the memory of the Henry family, their contributions to the area and the distant echoes of children playing around the Christmas tree will forever be remembered in the spirits of those that visit Boulton, as the Jacobsburg Historical Society continues to keep their memories alive.
During the event, guests were able to stroll the grounds, visiting the Pa. Longrifle Museum, gift shop, boathouse/tool barn with the family boat, ice sled and tools on display, blacksmith’s shop, carriage barn and visitor center where they could sample Jacobsburg brew, snack on cookies and purchase greens, wreaths and swags with proceeds benefitting the Historical Society.
As the event came to a close, visitors were left with a deep sense of connection to the Henrys, Boulton Historic Site and stories of Christmases past, feeling as though they may have personally known the Henrys in another life.
Christmas at Boulton remains a cherished tradition in Nazareth, uniting neighbors, families and visitors in celebration of the holidays and local history.
This year, the Jacobsburg Historical Society will also be offering a lantern tour and wine tasting event on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4:30 and 6 p.m. at the J. Joseph Henry House, located at 402 Henry Road. Tickets must be purchased in advance. More information can be found on the Boulton Historic Site and Jacobsburg Historical Society Facebook page.
