Cabin fever? Wishing for spring? Visit the Marathon County Historical Society as we present Houses in Bloom, March 6 to 11, 2018. Both of our historic houses will be filled with fresh flowers artfully arranged by various local designers.

In only its third year, this popular week has become a late-winter tradition as we anticipate the color, fragrance, beauty, and simple joy that flowers offer. The elegant rooms in both the Woodson History Center and the Yawkey House Museum will be enhanced by fresh floral arrangements. Local designers visit the homes in advance and create floral displays to fit each room.

The fully restored Yawkey House Museum offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of Cyrus and Alice Yawkey, and their beloved daughter, Leigh. During the early 1900s, all three were prominent in business, civic, and social concerns. Guided tours of their lovely home are offered daily except Mondays and holidays, and will be available throughout Houses in Bloom. Tours leave on the hour beginning at 9 am Tuesday through Friday, or 1 pm Saturday and Sunday, with the last tour at 3 pm all days. Tour tickets cost $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for youths, or free for members and children younger than 6, the usual cost for Yawkey House tours year-round.

Purchase tickets across the street at the Woodson History Center, the home where Leigh Yawkey Woodson and her husband, A.P. Woodson, lived and raised their family. This building later was owned by Immanuel Baptist Church before the Historical Society acquired it. The Woodson History Center now houses spaces for exhibits on various topics of Marathon County History, which are always free to visit during our open hours. Rural Electrification: Outlet for Change depicts life before and after electricity made its slow way into rural areas of Marathon County in the 1930s and ‘40s. Our Stories: The History of Marathon County features reminiscences of how people arrived in this area, and how they worked and played in days gone by. Blooms will not be added to exhibits, but can be enjoyed in other historic rooms.

For more information, please call the Marathon County Historical Society at 715-842-5750.