Paris, Texas –– The Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site invites visitors to uncover the mysteries of the Victorian era during this year’s Maxey After Dark event, “Behind the Veil: Victorian Mourning and Spirit Hoaxes,” on Friday, October 25, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. During the Victorian period, grief and curiosity about the afterlife often intertwined.
Visitors to Behind the Veil will step into a time when mourning was both ritual and performance, and when a fascination with spiritualism swept across the country. The evening explores how Victorians were drawn to séances, spirit photography, and mysterious parlor tricks that blurred the line between faith and deception.
Guests will experience a staged séance scene (with a few harmless “spirit” surprises), view examples of Victorian mourning customs and hairwork jewelry, and explore a room dedicated to cemetery customs and the chilling history of grave robbing. Visitors can also enjoy Halloween-themed parlor games inspired by 19th-century entertainment.
“This event gives visitors a glimpse into how Victorians coped with death and the unknown,” said Elana Barton, Educator at the Maxey House. “By revealing how mediums used simple tricks to create ghostly effects, we’re helping visitors see how belief, grief, and showmanship all came together in a fascinating moment of history.”
Behind the Veil is designed as an educational experience suitable for families, with all activities focused on the historical study of spiritualism and mourning—not the practice of séances. The event is come-and-go.
Admission is $5 per person. For more information on these events, please contact the site at 903.785.5716, visit the site’s website at www.visitsambellmaxeyhouse.com, or Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/visitsambellmaxeyhouse.
Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site, a Texas Historical Commission property, was built in
1868 in the High Victorian Italianate-style as the home of Samuel Bell Maxey and his wife Marilda. Maxey
served in the U.S.-Mexico War, was a Confederate general and two-term U.S. Senator. Members of the
Maxey family lived in the house until 1966 and the restored house reflects almost 100 years of their
continuous use. For more information visit www.visitsambellmaxeyhouse.com.
thc.texas.gov
