From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28, the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park will be opening doors that otherwise remain closed—inviting you to a history lesson filled with holiday cheer at Historic Holiday Houses. “Between the churches, schoolhouses and houses, we hope to have 13 buildings open,” says Park Ranger Suzanne Matin. Parking is the usual $8 per vehicle, and the wristbands needed to enter the buildings are $5. What’s more, Santa will be on hand to take photos and there will be wreath-making stations. Suitable for history buffs of all ages, the event provides insight into how Coloma’s settlers might have prepared for Christmas, as all décor is historically sensitive. “There are different time periods that we interpret at our different houses, and volunteers will be dressed period-specific for [each one],” Matin says. Guns are no longer kept in Bekeart’s Gun Shop, which opened for business in the spring of 1849, but visitors can take a look at the preserved “belongings and clothing of people that actually lived in Coloma,” says Holly Thane, a historical interpreter at the park. Ticket proceeds benefit the Gold Discovery Park Association, which co-hosts the event to fund restorative and interpretive projects. For more information, visit this link.