Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm
Step into Christmas 1877 at a hillside mansion five minutes from Helen
Victorian Christmas, in short
Helen's Christmas is all Bavarian lights and gingerbread, and then there's this: an evening in a Southern mountain mansion dressed for Christmas in the 1870s. Hardman Farm State Historic Site sits on the old Unicoi Turnpike in the Nacoochee Valley, just south of Helen, and it's one of the better ways to see a different side of the area's history.
Captain James Nichols built the Italianate house in 1870 and called it West End, because it stood at the west end of the valley. It later passed to Calvin Hunnicutt, a wealthy Atlanta businessman who used it as a summer retreat, and then to the family of Dr. Lamartine Hardman, Georgia's governor from 1927 to 1931. The family preserved the house and donated it to the state in 1999.
The three December weekends
| Dates | Hours | Plan around |
|---|---|---|
| Fri-Sat, Dec 4-5 | 4-7 PM | Same weekend as the Christmas Market's final days (Sat-Sun, Dec 5-6, 10 AM-5 PM) |
| Fri-Sat, Dec 11-12 | 4-7 PM | Helen's lighted Christmas parade is Saturday, Dec 12 at 6 PM, so plan the order of your evening |
| Fri-Sat, Dec 18-19 | 4-7 PM | Last nights; Breakfast with Santa at Unicoi Lodge is Saturday morning, Dec 19 |
Tickets are sold through Eventbrite; follow the link from the Georgia State Parks page or call (706) 878-1077.
What happens on an evening
Inside and out
Inside, costumed interpreters play the Nichols family and welcome you through rooms decorated for 1877, with seasonal music in the air. The house is known for its 19th-century parlor, original lighting and an early telephone and climate-control system, and on a regular tour you'd see the bedroom of Anna Ruby Nichols, the namesake of nearby Anna Ruby Falls.
Outside, warm sorghum ginger cookies come out of the historic kitchen. Horse-drawn wagons follow the old Unicoi Turnpike, there are s'mores by the fire, Santa visits in the carriage house, and the Visitor Center sells handmade gifts. Part of the evening is outdoors, so dress warmly.
Beyond the Bavarian theme
The valley's story goes back well before Helen's makeover in the late 1960s. The gazebo-topped Sautee Nacoochee Indian Mound, visible from the farm, is a burial site probably used long before the Cherokee lived in the area, according to Georgia State Parks. The turnpike began as a buffalo trail and then a Native American trading route; the park describes it as a 200-mile road from Toccoa to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Read more in our guides to Cherokee heritage and the transformation of Helen.
Visitor tips
Buy tickets early
Pre-registration is required, so buy online ahead of time. Eventbrite allows refunds up to 7 days before.
Stack it with Helen
Hardman Farm is about 5 minutes from downtown. On December 5, shop the Christmas Market (10 AM-5 PM) and come here for the evening. See our December guide and the village lights.
Dress warmly
December nights near Helen often drop to freezing. Wear shoes that handle grass and gravel.
Visit by day too
From March to December the grounds are open daily 10 AM-4 PM, and mansion tours run Thursday through Saturday on the hour (last tour 3 PM).
Frequently asked questions
How much are tickets for Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm?
In 2026, adults are $30, youth are $22, and a family ticket for two adults and their children under 18 is $65. Pre-registration is required, through Eventbrite.
When is Victorian Christmas at Hardman Farm 2026?
Friday and Saturday evenings, December 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19, 2026, from 4 to 7 PM.
Is it outdoors?
Part of it. You tour the mansion, then walk the grounds to the kitchen, wagon rides and the carriage house. Dress warmly and wear shoes that handle grass and gravel.
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