Historic house offers fun for Halloween

Halloween has arrived at the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in St. Augustine.

The house is the perfect place to experience the spirits of the past. It was completed in 1798 by Spanish merchant Andrés Ximenez for his wife Juana Pellicer and their children. The three-story structure was made of coquina.

After the deaths of the original owners, the house was rented out to various tenants and purchased in 1830 by Margaret Cook, who converted it into a boarding house. In 1855, the house came into the ownership of Louisa Fatio and it remained in her family until 1939 when the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Florida purchased it and began the decades-long process of meticulously restoring and furnishing the home with the intent of making it a museum. The Dames still own and operate the museum today. 

This year, visitors can learn about forgotten cultural practices and hear spine-chilling stories from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, now through Oct. 28 during “Mortality & Mourning Candlelight Tours — Death in the 19th Century.” This is a family-friendly event. For tickets, go to ximenezfatiohouse.org/my_calendar.

Then, from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 28, the museum will host trick-or-treat and the harvest festival. This community event features an afternoon of safe trick-or-treating, tours of our 225-year-old museum, contests, games and fun for children of all ages. Costumes are not required but are very much encouraged. This is a free event.

For more information, go to ximenezfatiohouse.org or call 904-829-3575. The Ximenez-Fatio House is located at 20 Aviles St., St. Augustine.