The halls are decked with holly at the historic Bembridge House, which is open for its last tours of the holiday season this week.
The house adjacent to Drake Park is the “nicest” remaining Queen Anne Victorian in Long Beach, according to Long Beach Heritage President Chris Hogan.
“It’s a beautiful architectural example of late Victorian architecture,” Hogan said, noting that most Victorian-style homes in the city were demolished to make way for new developments. “In Long Beach, there are hardly any left.”
The Bembridge House still stands thanks to former homeowner Dorothy Bembridge, who “fought the City and won,” Hogan said, after officials wanted to tear down the home to make room for an expansion of Drake Park in 1969.
The house was built in 1906 by local banker Stephen Green and his wife Josephine. In 1919, the Rankin family moved in and Dorothy, who was 9 at the time, lived most of her life in the house.
The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and contains many of the original furnishings dating from the early 1900s.
Though this year’s tours will not include a guide, docents will be present in each room to answer questions about the building.
“We really like it when they ask questions,” Hogan said.
The home also features a “massive” gingerbread house made by Isaac Salgado and Hulean Tyler. Though the gingerbread house is about six feet long and at least four feet tall, it’s dwarfed by its sister gingerbread house at Modica’s Deli.
Most rooms are decorated in a “12 Days of Christmas” theme by local historic districts, including Bluff Park, Bluff Heights, Craftsman Village, Belmont Heights and Cal Heights.
This year’s decorations also include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa decorations and the event has been renamed “Heritage Holidays” instead of “Victorian Christmas.”
“We are trying to be more inclusive,” Hogan said, noting that the home’s theme “12 Days of Christmas” was chosen in 2020, when tours were canceled. “We just reused it, even though it’s not as inclusive as it could have been.”
Ticket sales ($15 for adults) are used to maintain the historic house. Children can enter free if accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased at lbheritage.com.
Tours will take place today, Tuesday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 18 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Bembridge House is located at 953 Park Circle Drive.
