1936 Ann Arbor manor hosts Christmas Manor event

When gas tycoon H.B. Earhart decided to build a new mansion for his family near Ann Arbor in the 1930s, his wife Carrie was adamant about one thing: it had to be functional, not gaudy. And it had to be used – all of it.

And it was, according to a historic summary from the Ann Arbor District Library. The 1936 house, located on Geddes Road, was used top to bottom by the Earharts and their four children, from the basement pool room to the attic theater.

These days, the Earhart Manor, now owned by Concordia University Ann Arbor and used as its administrative center, has been all decked out for the holidays by designers from all over Ann Arbor. More than 3,000 people are expected to attend A Manor Christmas, where visitors will get a rare chance to see inside the mansion. The event opens Friday at the manor and runs through Sunday.

Proceeds from the event go toward student scholarships. There will also be a European style Christmas market for holiday shopping Tickets for general admission to the Christkindlmarkt are $5 and $7 for general admission to the market plus a self-guided tour of the historic manor. Guided tours will run every half hour.

For information, call (734) 995-7509 or go to https://www.cuaa.edu/landingpages/manorchristmas/index.html.

mfeighan@detroitnews.com