For years I have passed by the Petersen House always curious about it but never stopping to take a look. It used to be open year-round for tours but now due to budget cuts it's only open at Christmas. (and occasional school groups I believe) So I decided this year I would finally get over there and check this place out. What a gem! And it was free!
The house looks pretty big from the outside but inside it's actually fairly small. You could say it's charming and quaint. The house was decorated for a Danish Christmas - the Petersen's were Danish - complete with two Christmas trees and many Nissa hidden around the house. There was a wonderful volunteer there who told us the story of the Nisse - a little elf-like character who would protect the house and farm. This women was a gifted storyteller. I swear I hung on every word of her story about the Nisse as if I was 5-years old. It was so enjoyable.
On the main floor is the living room, dining room and kitchen. Upstairs are a few bedrooms and a bathroom. The bathroom was closed to the public because it had been renovated by the last owners and did not fit the look of the rest of the house.
It was so fun to get a glimpse into what life was life for someone here in the early 1900s. Very different than today I'd say. I hope the city can continue to find enough funding and volunteers to keep the house open, even if its just at the holidays because it would be such a shame to lose this piece of Tempe's past.