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People walk through one of the rooms at Havre Beneath the Streets Saturday during the Holiday Spirit Stroll. For the second year during the stroll, children were given a scavenger hunt to keep them searching for things around the displays.
Gene Meldrum waits for more guests to pass through his room at Havre Beneath the Streets Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. Meldrum sat in his chair and ran through the history of Beneath the Streets as people stopped to talk.
Lorraine Beck sits in front of a Christmas tree at Havre Beneath the Streets Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. Beck, now retired, worked for the organization for fifteen years but still volunteers from time to time.
Julie Sparks, of Gram's Ice Cream and Coffee Shoppe, hands out free samples of ice cream at Havre Beneath the Streets December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. Sparks and her daughter, Lexi, were both behind the bar handing out samples during the Holiday Spirit Stroll.
A poker game is covered with Christmas decorations at Havre Beneath the Streets Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. Decorating began over a month before the Holiday Spirit Stroll took place.
Chelby Gooch gives away hot apple cider during the Holiday Spirit Stroll Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. Along with cider, there were spots with free ice cream and cookies during the event.
Marissa Owens and her son Dakoda, 5, take a look at a model train set at Havre Beneath the Streets Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Havre, Mont. The trains were running during most of the Holiday Spirit Stroll.
Havre Beneath the Streets celebrated the Christmas season Saturday with its family-friendly Holiday Spirit Stroll bringing more than 325 people to the exhibits.
Saturday at about 2 p.m.,more than 60 people were touring the exhibits.
People walked through the rooms, looking at the displays and the history of Havre from the early 1900s. Each exhibit had volunteers - old and new and a variety of ages - standing by to answer any questions.
Volunteer Jamie Petty said it is a fun place to be with her kids and that she enjoys all the decorations that are added to the displays for the Christmas season.
Petty said she and her family have volunteered at the Spirit Stroll as well as Living History Day. She added that this year would be their sixth year of volunteering.
Her daughter, Arin Shellenberger, 9, said she was having fun volunteering with her mother. Petty said her son Kenny, 13, was also volunteering that day.
Volunteer Julie Sparks and her daughter Lexi, 7, were working the ice cream counter in Beneath the Streets, giving out samples of ice cream from Gram's Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe.
Sparks said she has been volunteering for the last three years, adding that she volunteers because she wants to support Havre Beneath the Streets as well as display what is available at Gram's.
Lexi Sparks said she was having fun and she likes volunteering because she likes seeing all the different people that come though the exhibit.
Julie Sparks added that her daughter has volunteered at Beneath the Streets since she was 3 years old and her two other children alternate volunteering throughout the day.
Jerry Waltari, a long-time volunteer, said he was happy about the Spirit Stoll. He said he has been on the board for Havre Beneath the Streets since the early 1990s, after founder Frank DeRosa asked him to join.
He added that the recently renovated bakery exhibit was open and while they were renovating they found the original oven.
Waltari said Beneath the Streets gives people a close look at real history.
"Kids can visually see what life was like in 1904," he said, adding that they try to keep everything as accurate as possible.
Margie Deppmeier, DeRosa's daughter, said Beneath the Streets has grown since it first started in 1994. She added that when her father was first working on the project she thought he was crazy and no one would be interested in the exhibit, but she admits she was wrong.
She said the Spirit Stroll was special in the way that people can go at their own pace through the displays and have a chance to socialize with people while they were down their.
Volunteer Chelby Gooch said she and her family have been volunteering for many years.
Gooch said the Spirit Stroll was her favorite because it has a good atmosphere and is festive.
Her daughter Katelyn, 14, and she both said it is great to see so many people coming to visit and support their community.
John and Melissa McLaughlin said this was their first time coming down to Beneath the Streets exhibit. They were with their two kids Aubrey, 5, and Hadley, 4 months.
John McLaughlin said his favorite part was the blacksmithing room, and he was amazed by all of the different things in the room. Melissa McLaughlin said she was amazed how well the displays were preserved.
"They did a wonderful job," she said. "You can really feel the holiday spirit."
They said they will come back in the future to the Living History event.
Ashley Sherwood from Missoula and Jordan Omeara from Spokane, Wash., said it was their first time going to the Beneath the Streets. They said it was very interesting and were glad their kids were having fun.
Trent Sherwood, 5, and Kalli Omeara, 4, laughed as they made their way past each exhibit, crossing items off of their scavenger hunt.
Deppmeier said this was the second year Beneath the Streets held a scavenger hunt, adding that it is a great way to keep the kids involved.
Sherwood and Omeara agreed that the scavenger hunt was a great idea as well as the treats the kids could get at some of the exhibits.
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