Duluth's historic Glensheen Mansion is offering something new for the holidays: a visit to 1912.

In addition to elaborate holiday decorations, with more than 15 decorated trees, the London Road mansion is offering self-guided tours with period-costumed staff stationed about.

The new tour is inspired by the story of houseguest Dorothy Crawford, a Vassar college friend of Helen Congdon's who stayed at Glensheen for a winter month and wrote home about her experiences.

According to excerpts on Glensheen's website, Crawford described a visit filled with ice skating on Lake Superior, tobogganing, dancing and curling.

The temperature was 30 below zero when she arrived. "Of course we can't do any out of door sports til it warms up to zero," she wrote. "We go out in tights, bloomers, flannel petticoats, sweater, wool cap, mackinaw … and moccasins with wool socks about an inch thick."

Crawford's granddaughter shared her letters with the estate a few years ago.

The holiday tours will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends through Jan. 5.

Pam Louwagie

@pamlouwagie