Sandusky

[White Flint Bill]

Sandusky was the antebellum home of the Hutter family, just outside Lynchburg Virginia. Federal General Hunter used it as his headquarters during his attempt to take Lynchburg in 1864. We visited this past weekend during their Christmas open house event. Thought I'd share a few photos.

Civil War Santa was there.

From the displays in the Visitor's Center

 

[James N.]

I like 'Santa" in the period suit and not the typical red one of later; he's built more like today's idea though - pre-Thomas Nast Civil War Santas were a relatively scrawny bunch!

 

[mofederal]

I like the house and museum. It looks like they have some good exhibits, and tell a good story. The patriotic Santa is a good touch. I like his suit.

 

[White Flint Bill]

As James suggests above, the "Civil War Santa" is based on Thomas Nast's illustrations for the Harper's Weekly during the War. Nast was born in Bavaria and is responsible for popularizing the Germanic image of "Santa Claus" over the "St. Nicolas in bishop's robe" image that was more popular in the South and among descendants of English immigrants. Nast used Santa as war propaganda. In one of his drawings the star-spangled Santa is delivering pipes to the Union soldiers, along with toy dolls of Jefferson Davis being hanged.

 

[White Flint Bill]

Here are a couple of Nast's illustrations of patriotic Santa. The first is from 1863 and the second is from 1881 (but note the sword and U.S. buckle)

 

[White Flint Bill]

I like the house and museum. It looks like they have some good exhibits, and tell a good story. The patriotic Santa is a good touch. I like his suit.

They also have an interesting Civil War medicine exhibit that I'll post about separately.

 

[donna]

Thanks for photos. I like the Santa too.

 

[JOHN42768]

Thanks for posting

 

[Pollaco]

Nice museum. It's amazing how much knowledge one can absorb just by visiting these exhibits. It's a wonder General Hunter left this mansion intact. He's still got the reputation throughout some of the South as being somewhat of a firebug.