You are invited to usher in the holiday season with a special Christmastime tour of homes on Saturday, December 12, 2026 from 4:00PM until 8:00PM. This special holiday tradition will take you through Murfreesboro’s East Main Street Historic District, to some historic homes on adjoining streets and then to Oaklands Mansion. Oaklands Mansion will be dressed in all its holiday splendor.
You are welcome to drive yourself and park on the street sides following all City of Murfreesboro parking regulations. Free parking is also available at Oaklands Mansion and Oaklands Park. The Visitors Center lot is designated for our guests with ADA needs. Parking is no longer allowed on the grass at Oaklands Mansion or Oaklands Park.
The 43rd Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes will feature several historic homes, churches and Oaklands Mansion.
Murfreesboro Little Theatre members will be found throughout the mansion sharing short stories and special tidbits of information about the historic structure. Oaklands staff and board members will also be present to greet you and further discuss this nationally registered historic site and its impact on our community.
Elaine Winters, Rob Pearcy and Amanda Shields from The Home Sweet Home Band will play Christmas standards and old holiday favorites. Oaklands Gift Shop will be open for unique holiday shopping.
Food trucks will be parked at Oaklands Mansion.
In Maney Hall, the Tennessee Valley Winds Brass Quartet will play two 45 minute sets starting at 4:00PM.
Also in Maney Hall, Mrs. Claus will share cookies and collect toy donations for Give a Little Christmas. They are a group of artists for community transformation who help spread Christmas magic by providing gifts for kids. They focus on families with last minute emergencies and temporary setbacks.
Admission is $30.00 per adult and $10.00 per student ages 6-12. The evening is free for ages 5 and under. Guests may purchase admission online, or in the museum, shop by 6:00PM on Saturday, December 12th.
To inquire about including your property, or to sponsor the event, please email events@oaklandsmansion.org or call 615-893-0022.
Sponsorship Levels:
Brass Horn Sponsors $1,500
Admission for 24
Carol Sponsors $1,000
Admission for 16
Harp Sponsors $500
Admission for 8
Wreath Sponsors $250
Admission for 4
Adult Admissions $30
Child Admission $10
This Year’s Candlelight Tour of Homes Sponsors Are:
Presenting Sponsor: The Halliburton Family
Also sponsored by: Visit Rutherford, TN
This lovely cottage style home was constructed in 1930. Previous owners include Jesse C. Beesley, a local noted sculptor who was instrumental in forming the first humane society in Rutherford County (1976) and is the namesake of the current Beesley Animal Foundation. Wilkes Coffey Jr, lawyer and circuit court judge along with his wife, Mrs. Harriet Crutchfield Coffey, resided in the home from the 1980’s onward. The property remained in Wilkes family until approximately 2017. At that time, the home was purchased by Eric and Michelle Lynch. Under the design direction of the Lynches, updates were completed to the floor plan to add a master suite upstairs and a finished basement. Specific care was taken to modernize the functionality of the home’s floor plan while still maintaining the charm of the original design features. Most recently, 512 East College Street was purchased by the Wakham family. Sparrow Home Design was hired to add additional updates and to professionally style the home for the holidays. The Wakham family delights in the quaint atmosphere and ambience of the 500 block of East College Street. They enjoy supporting local businesses and being a part of the walkable downtown Murfreesboro community.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Murfreesboro began services in 1892, leading to the construction of a church building on Spring Street in 1893. In 1929 the church was moved to its present location on East Main Street and veneered in Sewanee sandstone; this historic structure now serves the church campus as St. Andrew’s Chapel. From an initial year with fourteen communicants, St. Paul’s has blossomed into a vibrant community of faith in downtown Murfreesboro. Having seen two major additions to its campus in the last fifteen years, St. Paul’s is now one of the largest Episcopal churches in Middle Tennessee with over 1000 baptized members. . It demonstrates a growing presence in community outreach, currently sponsoring four Scout troops and hosting Coldest Nights for women. Celebrating its 125th Anniversary in October 2017, St. Paul’s seeks to empower people to minister one to another following the example of Jesus. We welcome you to our campus for the Oaklands Candlelight Tour, and invite you to join us for Sunday worship.
Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Murfreesboro’s oldest black congregation, was established in the early months of Reconstruction (1866) by newly freed men and women. The beginnings of Allen Chapel were led by trustees Peter Lytle, John Reeves, and John Claiborne, and it represented an important step in the creation of Murfreesboro’s post-Civil War African American community and culture. It also represented a courageous first step for the newly freed people to break away from their dual, but second-class membership, in local white congregations and establish their own religious identity and practices. Its denominational affiliation, the AME Church, also has a proud history as the first connectional Black Christian denomination. Established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787, Richard Allen led a withdrawal of Black members from the predominantly White St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in protest against racial discrimination. Officially sanctioned in 1816, the AME Church provided African Americans with religious and social autonomy. This denomination resides in over 39 countries and on five continents.
Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has been a part of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County for over a century. Founded in 1908, the name “Central” was chosen as a reference to the congregation’s support for a centralized missionary society.
Construction of our sanctuary began in May of 1911. Bell Bros. & Co. of Murfreesboro was the builder; W.R. Bell, Jr. was the architect; and Kelley Poff was superintendent of the construction. It took almost two years to complete the construction of the building which was finalized in December of 1912. The structure is a combination of Oriental Byzantine architecture with the Greek classical order of columns. The dome has been likened to that of St. Sophia of Istanbul, Turkey, built between 532 and 537 CE. In the building’s design, the arch of the hemispherical dome is repeated in the sanctuary. A rounded arch is found over the organ pipes. It is made of dark, polished wood with Ionic columns. Another arch is found over the marble baptistery with Ionic columns including the ram’s horns. The baptistery arch has a large keystone at the top. Rounded arches are evidenced in the choir railing, and the pews are arranged in a semi-circle around the chancel area. Rounded corners in the choir loft and overhead ceiling provide the room with excellent acoustics. Both the interior and exterior were renovated to preserve the historical integrity of the building in 2002.