Decking the Halls

The holiday season in the Manor House in Wildwood Metropark is here once again, bringing artistic creation, community celebration and historical location all under one roof.

This eight-day annual event allows approximately 4,000 volunteers, whether in the form of organizations, groups or individuals, to decorate one room in one of Toledo's most historic homes. Volunteers are also asked to submit a theme idea for their room.

Over 15,000 visitors are expected throughout the week.

"Each year after the holidays are over we start taking requests, so current decorators can request the same room or a different one," said Heather Norris, the event coordinator of the Manor House. "By the end of April or May of each year, we know who's going to have each room and what their loose theme is going to be."

New decorators go through an interview process to familiarize them with the ins and outs of personalizing their space with concepts such as borrowing their items and when they are expected to decorate and come back to take down the decorations; certain fire regulations are also discussed.

"We do have a meeting in September for all new decorators so they can walk around and measure their rooms. We do provide one tree and white lights for each room," Norris said.

The mansion is free to tour and will be open to the public starting Sunday until the following Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Candy Minke, Nancy Arnold and Bev Howard have been decorating at the Manor House every year for the past nine years.

"This is our way to give back to the park," Howard said.

The trio of friends, who are avid walkers in the metropark, dressed the cozy butler's pantry full of red and white swirled peppermint and homemade jellies in glass jars, as well as sugar, spice and everything nice, the latter being this year's theme.

Upstairs and down the hall, a mother and daughter duo tackled the master suite. JoAnne and Claire Carson are first-time decorators.

Hollywood glitz and glam encompass the room with Marilyn Monroe at one corner straight across from an all-white tree showered with silver and gold.

"We always come and see the house every year, and last year we saw that they asked people to decorate," Claire Carson said. "I always thought that it would be super fun."

Public Relations director of the Metroparks of the Toledo area Scott Carpenter said this event is the "single most popular program."

"Something like this is sort of rare, especially for free. We never charge," Carpenter said. "They have always called it the volunteers' gift to the community."

One popular and recognizably known name throughout the Toledo area is the original home owner, R.A. Stranahan, who built this house in the 1930s. Places like the Stranahan Theater and the Stranahan Business School at the University of Toledo bear his name as a remembrance of his legacy.

"The house itself is a real testament to Toledo's place during the industrial revolution, the auto boom years. You hear of Auto Baron homes in Detroit; for example, here we have one by a guy who is best known for spark plugs, the Champion Sparkplug. It is a real piece of Toledo history," Carpenter said.

R.A. Stranahan built the home for his wife Page, son Frank, and daughter Barbara during the Great Depression, spending around $350,000. Today, this Georgian colonial style mansion is worth an estimated $1 million.

With spacious living quarters and a shooting gallery downstairs, this house is a palette for lavish living. Named Stranleigh, the estate was surrounded by 750 acres of forest, including a 25 by 75 foot in-ground swimming pool, professionally designed garden, horse trails, and a nine-hole putting green.

The Stranahans lived at Stranleigh for the remainder of their lives. A few years after Page Stranahan's death in 1968, a real estate developer offered to buy the grounds with intent to construct new homes and condominiums.

However, in an effort to preserve the estate, Bill Mewborn and John Lusk started a community campaign to pass a levy which would turn it into a public park. In November of 1974, the levy passed.

Since then, this preserve has remained just that, still housing celebrations, reliving its history, and welcoming the community on its many trails. It is an icon of beauty for the city. So it turns out not only is the Manor House a gift to Toledo, but a place of great tradition.