It may not look like there’s much homebuilding going on in the quiet rural town of Ward, SD, but Marlys Barthel has likely constructed an entire city – of gingerbread houses. For over 40 …
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It may not look like there’s much homebuilding going on in the quiet rural town of Ward, SD, but Marlys Barthel has likely constructed an entire city – of gingerbread houses.
For over 40 years, Barthel has made her intricately designed, candy-filled creations, and they now are a centerpiece of the Holiday Craft Fair in Ward. Alongside her sisters and close friends, she has helped organize the annual event, which draws vendors and shoppers from across the region.
Barthel’s gingerbread journey began when she took a class decades ago. Since then, crafting the edible houses has become her favorite holiday tradition.
Each gingerbread house is unique, decorated with fresh ingredients and held together with a powdered sugar mix that sparkles like fresh snow. While Barthel sells some at the fair, others are given as gifts or assembled with her grandchildren over Christmas break.