Holiday Lantern Tour
Sunday, December 17 / 4:30 - 7 PM
The MHS Holiday Lantern Tour is a journey through time to glimpse a period in Madison’s history. Together with local students, volunteers, and board trustees, we offer lantern-lit tours each December, featuring all-new stories from Madison's past.
The 2023 Holiday Lantern Tour will take visitors on a journey to Madison in the 1940s--a tumultuous time defined by war, the Holocaust, the atomic bomb, and the beginning of the Cold War. At the start of the decade, Americans were slowly recovering from the Great Depression and, in New England, from a devastating hurricane.
Despite these challenges, life along Madison’s bucolic shores progressed much as it had in previous years. The townspeople made an honest living farming, catering to summer tourists, and providing essential services. All of that changed in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the US entered the war that had engulfed Europe.
Guided Groups Leave Every Thirty Minutes
Guides will lead small groups every thirty minutes, beginning at 4:30 pm. Visitors cover roughly a half-mile, traveling on foot over various terrains for the duration of the tour.
For this event, visitors are strongly encouraged to dress warmly and wear appropriate footwear, whether we have rain or clear skies. There is no rain date.
Beginning at Lee’s Academy, the tour makes several brief stops and concludes with a warm fire and refreshments at the Allis-Bushnell House.
The tour may take visitors through the downtown area or around the historic town green to learn about important people and events from Madison’s rich history.
Our goal is to deepen participants' appreciation for our shared past and foster a sense of commitment to supporting and protecting our town’s cultural heritage.