Vann House ready for Christmas

Published 11:06 pm Monday, December 4, 2006

Historians say the Chief Vann House was the largest building in the Cherokee Nation in the 1800s, so it was an ideal place for Moravian Christmas parties, which Chief James Vann allowed even though he didn’t celebrate Christmas.

The house was first decorated by Moravian missionaries with Christmas trees, branches and candles in 1804, park ranger Julia Autry said.

Now park rangers and members of Friends of the Vann House handle the Christmas decorations each year. The house will be decorated for Christmas from Dec. 8 through Dec. 31, and the house will be open for the annual “Cherokee Christmas by Candlelight” this Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Regular admission prices to the house apply — $4 for adults, $3.50 for seniors and $2.50 for youth 6 to 18. Children 5 and under are free.

Vann was a delegate between the Cherokee Nation and Washington, D.C. One of his stops along the way was Salem, N.C., where Moravian missionaries had settled a small village, Autry said.

Vann wasn’t a Christian and wasn’t interested in becoming one, but he thought Moravians had good schools, she said. He wanted his children to be taught by Moravians so he invited them to start a school on his plantation.

Vann bought land in what is now Spring Place and built a house in 1804, but he and his family were not going to move into it until 1805.

“Moravians said how about letting us use your house for large services like at Christmas and Easter because you’re hardly ever here anyway and we know we will have a lot of people attending,” Autry said. Vann agreed.

Historians believe that to be the first Christmas celebrated by the Cherokee Nation. Historians also believe that to be one of the first times a Christmas tree was used in Georgia.

A Moravian diary entry from Dec. 21, 1805, read, “Today we went three miles in our cart with our pupils to fetch a Christmas tree.”

A Christmas tree decorated with things described in the Moravian diaries stands at the Vann House. Candles and luminaries will light people’s way to and through the house. Visitors may tour at their own pace. Guides will be stationed throughout to answer questions.

The tour will end with hot apple cider and Moravian cookies served beside a warm fireplace in the 170-year-old Cherokee log cabin. The museum will also be open so visitors can view the exhibits and a short film on the Cherokee.

For more information, contact the Vann House at (706) 695-2598.