Tour stunning homes during Winterfest weekend

HAWLEY — The 20th annual Hawley Winterfest, from Friday, Dec. 7, through Sunday, Dec. 9, features self-guided tours of the Dorflinger Museum, stunning historic homes in the White Mills area, and the White Mills Fire House.
Tickets may be picked up or purchased at the museum on Saturday, where the tour starts. Maps with addresses and instructions will be available at the museum.
Properties will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The Dorflinger Museum holds one of the nation’s largest collections of American brilliant-cut Dorflinger Glass on display in the home of the founder. Its history began in the 1860s, when Christian Dorflinger transformed White Mills into a bustling industrial center on the banks of the Lackawaxen River. For more than a half century, the Dorflinger Glass Works produced exquisite cut lead crystal that graced many of America’s finest tables, including those of several White House administrations.
The Historic White Mills Firehouse was erected in 1911 from Dorflinger hand-fired bricks. When the building was threatened with demolition as part of a bridge expansion in 1999, descendants of original owners and other preservation-minded people came together to raise funds to move the building across Route 6 to its present location.
The firehouse is now a museum paying tribute to the people of White Mills. Its exhibits show how the residents lived, worked, worshipped, and played. It also houses the fire company’s 1948 REO fire truck. For the tour, the firehouse will display an eclectic Santa Claus collection.
Privately owned homes will showcase their rich history and elegant holiday decorations. “While the specific locations will not be revealed until the day of the tour, we can tell you a little bit about a few of the homes you will be seeing,” said Jeanne Genzlinger, co-chair of Hawley Winterfest.
One building is one of seven identical homes built between 1966 and 1867 by Christian Dorflinger. These homes were built to house his original seven highly skilled glass cutters and their families. Over the last five years, the current owner has restored it to its 1987 exterior appearance, the interior’s original layout, and replaced missing architectural details.
Another home on the tour is a stone bungalow with a craftsman-style interior, built in 1910 by Louis Dorflinger for his son Dwight. The property sits on 13.5 acres of wooded land and features a stone garage and a shingles barn.
And another treasured home features decorations with accents of ornaments from Rothrock’s Silversmiths and Pewterers, a hand-painted nativity set, and textile and hand-carved wooden items featuring the handiwork of the homeowner.
Advance ticket sales may be purchased at the Dorflinger Factory Museum, the Settlers Inn, the Hawley Library, or Lake Wallenpaupack Visitor’s Center, or online at hawleywinterfest.com.
For updates visit facebook.com/hawleywinterfest.