As with every other area of social intercourse, the etiquette surrounding visits to others’ homes had an extensive code. Since occasions for us to pay visits to others’ homes while re-enacting are highly limited, a very brief overview will suffice.

The tacit assumption for the vast majority of visits is that a lady would be making the call on another lady. Visits of ceremony must be necessarily short and not made before the hour of lunch time. Half an hour is sufficient time. These visits may not always be made necessary by businessmen, as they may not have time. These visits are such as to talk someone for dinner the night before. Young married ladies may visit their acquaintances alone, but they may not appear in public places unattended, either by their husbands or elder ladies. In any event, a married lady never calls on a gentleman unless professionally or officially, and then it would be with the knowledge of her husband.

Even the most mundane, most pragmatic matters of life were dealt with in the etiquette manuals of the day. Readers were cautioned against such behaviors as leaning one’s head against the wall. Why? One who committed that particular breach of etiquette was not only guilty of bad posture, but risked ruining the wallpaper and possibly getting lime in their hair.

A lady should neither remove her shawl nor bonnet, even if politely asked, unless they are in the presence of a particularly special friend, and then only with the help of the lady of the house. When a lady enters a room where there may be a gentleman, she is requested to sit on the sofa by a gentleman.  In the event that several ladies arrive, due respect is paid to age and rank and they must be seated in the most honorable places, one of which is close to or beside the fire, should there be one; or close to an open window in the heat of summer when a breeze may be hoped for.

As a lady is sitting down, she should never lift her skirts up onto the seat of her chair when sitting down. Instead, she should wait for assistance (or ask for assistance, if necessary) when sitting down at a table or on a small light chair. When seated, ladies should never sit with their legs crossed, or at least not crossed in the fashion of a man. She may cross her legs at the ankles if that is necessary for comfort, or as a matter of habit.

It should be observed that the rules regarding visiting are primarily aimed at the ladies since married men are supposed to have too much business to attend to make ceremonial calls. For that reason, it is customary for wives to take their husband's cards, and to leave one of their own and one of their husband’s. If your acquaintance or friend is not at home, leave a card. In visiting your intimate friends, some ceremony may be dispensed with and visits with these people will make mere ceremony unnecessary. Ladies are urged to bear in mind that when they do make a call, the call is to the wife and not to the husband, except on matters of business.

For men making visits, the rules began with ensuring propriety for ladies present in the home when the man of the house might be absent. Upon a gentleman’s arrival, if Miss Harrison is discovered to be home, but Mrs. Harrison is not at home, the gentleman should leave a card and depart. Young ladies do not receive calls from gentlemen unless they are very intimately acquainted with them. Gentleman are permitted to call on married ladies at their home, but never without the knowledge and full permission of the husband.

A gentlemen should always remove his hat when entering a room. A gentleman never leaves his hat on in a room, even if alone, unless there is no place for him to put his hat. Always carry your hat in your hand, and do not look for a table or chair to put it on. Hold onto your hat gracefully.

A visiting gentleman does not wait to be invited to sit down, but takes a seat at once easily. He should not take a principal place in the room, however, or sit at a distance from the lady of the house that will make it awkward or inconvenient for her to converse with him.