For one week, from December 1 through 5, visitors will be treated to staff preparing the palisade for winter with festive early-1800s decorations at the Fort Gibson Historic Site.

Before the Civil War, Christmas decorations were lovingly put up for the holidays, though not quite as extravagant as today! Decorations of mistletoe and other greenery, interspersed with fruits and brightly colored ribbon, were commonplace and will be up in several rooms at the bottom of the hill.

Christmas was also celebrated at Fort Gibson during the Civil War years, though it was extremely modest compared to the peacetime celebrations and decorations of previous decades. The Union soldiers at the top of the hill and the refugees at the bottom were under immense stress. They had little in the way of luxuries or time to decorate, but Christmas celebrations during the war years helped bring some normalcy in the darkest hours.

Staff will be on the grounds at the bottom of the hill, decorating for our December events and programs, and visitors to the site can check out the holiday cheer during business hours throughout December.