WASHINGTON – Some people like vintage clothes. For others, it’s vintage cars. But, at one D.C. landmark each month, it’s all about vintage games.
On the first Wednesday of each month, the Woodrow Wilson House — the former home of the nation’s 28th president — invites the public to enjoy snacks and a libation or two while playing vintage games of Wilson’s era and beyond.
It’s a bit like stepping into 1921 when you ring the bell and walk through the front door. You’ll enter into the foyer of the home that Mr. Wilson and his second wife, Edith, shared after leaving the White House (until his death in 1924, and hers in 1961). Music of the time floats down the staircase, playing on a rather modern iPod and speaker.
“We took a bunch of games, usually buying them off eBay, and did a lot of historical research looking for, when President Wilson came here in 1921, games that he might have played or people around this time would play,” says Wilson House tour guide Matthew Theibault.
But before they could start inviting people here to play these games, there was some work to do.
“We actually have our interns come in, because of lot of these don’t come with directions, and so we have to go on the internet and look up how to play these games,” he says.
Games like Uncle Wiggly, Kan You Go, and a noisy one Theibault says is called Pit.
“You have about seven cards which can be Rye, Barley, Flax and basically (the players) try to trade with each other.”
“1-1-1-1-1-1-1! 2-2-2-2-2-2!” players shout aggressively from a table near a window overlooking the Wilson’s backyard, as they try to improve their standing in agricultural commodities. Fortunately, if they get thirsty, the bar serves craft beer, including D.C. Brau, and it’s just mere steps away.
“It’s fun,” says Ann Elkington, who lives in the District and has been to the Wilson House for Vintage Game Night three or four times.
She likes all the different people she meets, adding, “It’s hard for me to think of a venue in D.C. that brings so many ages together for such silliness, without bar noise.”
As for what games the former president liked, Theibault says he played something called Matching Word, which was basically a pre-cursor to what we know as Scrabble today.
Mrs. Wilson loved Mahjong, a game that originated in China. Mahjong is played with a set of tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Theibault says she played it up until her death in 1961 at age 89.
You can find out more about Vintage Game Night at the Woodrow Wilson House here.
Tickets are $15.00 per person and include entrance to the museum, two drink vouchers, snacks and all-you-can-play vintage board games. Additional drinks can be purchased for $5.00 each.
