Historic home tours coming Saturday

Longmont area residents have two chances to tour some homes decorated for the holidays, shop for hand-crafted holiday gifts and help those without a home for the holidays at the same time.

The Historic Westside Neighborhood Association is sponsoring its fifth annual historic home and art tour of five homes in the neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $8 and can be purchased the day of the tour at any of the homes. Proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auctions are donated each year; this year, the proceeds are benefitting the Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement (HOPE).

The First Congregational United Church of Christ is holding its 44th annual Christmas Home Tour of three Longmont area homes from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3 and Friday, Dec. 4. Tickets cost $10 if purchased before the tour; tickets will cost $15 at the door. The theme for this year’s tour is “Homes for All,” and a portion of the proceeds from the tour will be donated to the Housing First program sponsored by the Longmont Housing Opportunities Team.

Tickets for the First Congregational UCC home tour can be purchased at several Longmont locations, including Ace Hardware, Buzz Coffee, The Orange Door, the Two Dog Diner in Prospect, the Longmont Times-Call office, the Meals on Wheels office, the First Congregational UCC Church office and church members.

Raising money for charities, along with being “the right thing to do,” draws people to attend the tours and also attracts homeowners to participate, said Dede Alspaugh, a tri-chair of the First Congregational tour.

“It’s a gift to the community,” she said.

“We always turn over our proceeds to charity, and we think HOPE is a wonderfully deserving organization,” said Westside Historic Neighborhood Association tour committee member Lonnie Dooley. Last year, the group raised about $2,000 through ticket sales and a silent auction of art in each home.

Jewelers, potters, wood carvers, photographers, painters and illustrators are among the 17 artists featured in the homes. Each home features three or four artists, so visitors can see a variety of items in each home. All the art is created by local artists and is for sale, said Bob Glassner, a member of the home tour committee and an illustrator featured in the tour.

A wide variety of homes are featured this year, according to Historic Westside Neighborhood home tour committee chair Susan Massey. Homes at 1102 Third Ave., 1221 Carlton Place, 615 Lincoln St., 327 Pratt St. and 409 Gay St. will be open for this year’s tour.

“We try to find homes that represent a diversity of sizes and architectural styles, and that are interesting to see,” Massey said. “We invited the homeowners to participate, and we usually get a pretty good response.”

For instance, the home on Lincoln Street had been moved off its foundation and parked on the street for a while as it was renovated, which generated interest among the residents of the historic Westside neighborhood. And the home on Gay Street burned down and was rebuilt in the original Arts and Craftsman style.

“Sometimes, the homes chosen are the ones that everyone goes past and says ‘I’ve always wanted to see the inside of that home,’” Glassner said.

Homeowners are given an illustration of their home done by Glassner, along with information gathered about the home’s history by local historian Jim West.

The three homes featured on this year’s First Congregational UCC Christmas Home Tour include the Flanders home at 917 Third Ave., a home at 800 Emery St., and a home at 806 Neon Forest Circle in Prospect. The homes are decorated for the holidays by volunteers and church members, and the decorations are for sale, according to Alspaugh.

The final stop is the First Congregational UCC Church Fellowship Hall, 9th Ave. and Francis St., where an artisan market, bake sale and free refreshments will be available.

This year, the group has added a silent auction of three-foot miniature decorated Christmas trees. The 15 trees have been decorated by local artists, and each one has a specific theme.

“They are really unique and beautiful,” Alspaugh said. “We think the silent auction will enhance the tour and help us raise funds to help our church continue its emphasis on combating homelessness in Longmont.”