On January 7, 2018, the National Christmas Center of Paradise, Pennsylvania, closed its doors. For over 19 years, this 22,000-square foot beloved tourist destination shared the magic of Christmas, both religious and secular, its memories, its history, and its traditions with thousands of visitors.
Jim Morrison, founder, curator, and historian of the center, along with his business partner, Dave Murtaugh, began a search for someone who could purchase the center’s Christmas collections and keep the spirit of Christmas alive by continuing to share these treasures with others. Their prayers were answered, and the search ended when, in October, 2018, Stone Gables Estate purchased the entire Christmas collection, one of the largest collections of historical Christmas memorabilia in the United States. Morrison, who is referred to as the “Keeper of Christmas,” comes with the collection to Stone Gables Estate. He will continue to play an integral role in the resurrection of the National Christmas Center at Stone Gables Estate.
In early 2019, the Christmas collection was carefully packed, loaded onto numerous tractor trailers, and transported to a climate-controlled area where much of the collection has been and continues to be monitored, cleaned, restored, and put in full working order.
The permanent home of the National Christmas Center will be housed in 40,000 S.F. of the future restored Barns of Belmont. The main 120’ x 60’, four-and-one-half story 1867 Belmont barn and its associated structures, located along Fruitville Pike in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were threatened by impending development. In 2014, Stone Gables Estate acquired these structures. The buildings were carefully disassembled in 2015, cataloged, and moved into temporary storage. The Barns of Belmont is a multi-year endeavor.
