Category: Holiday House Tour

A few last reminders and announcements for the 2013 Holiday House Tour this weekend:

• All Holiday House Tours and Bough and Dough Shop activities will proceed regardless of weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday.
• In case of inclement weather on Sunday, the costumed strolling carolers from the Winchester Little Theatre will unfortunately not be able to join us. The other musical entertainment will proceed as planned.
• Advance tickets for the tour will be on sale December 7 and December 8 at the Bough and Dough Shop at 315 West Boscawen Street only. No other advance ticket sale locations will have tickets for sale on Saturday or Sunday.
• All remaining Preview Party tickets also will be on sale December 7 at the Bough and Dough Shop at 315 West Boscawen Street only. No other advance ticket sale locations will have Party tickets for sale on Saturday.
• You may come to the free wreath-making class without having made a reservation or having bought House Tour tickets. Go to the Bough and Dough Shop 10 AM on Saturday, December 7. Remember to bring your own gardening gloves and handheld trimmers if you have them; other materials will be provided.
• You may purchase tickets at the door of any house on the tour from 1-5 PM Sunday; ticket prices at the door are $25.
• You may purchase admission to a single home on the tour at the door of any site on the tour Sunday from 1-5 PM; a single site admission is $5.
• Do you plan to pay for your tickets with a credit or debit card? The only location where cards are accepted is at the Bough and Dough Shop. Cash or checks only at the houses, please!

Time has flown this year to the Holiday House Tour. As we enter the final stretch leading up to our Stroll on Stewart Street, we want to post a few friendly reminders:

• Tickets will be gathered from the ticket sale locations on the afternoon of Friday, December 6.
• On Saturday, December 7, the only location which will be selling advance Holiday House Tour Tickets is the Bough and Dough Shop at the Winchester Little Theatre, 315 West Boscawen Street. The Shop is open from 10 AM-5 PM on Saturday and there is no admission fee to visit the Shop.
• Don’t forget to visit the Shop from 10 AM-Noon on December 7 for a free wreath-making class. Bring your own trimmers and gloves, but the materials will be provided. Make one wreath for yourself and a second to sell at the Shop.
• The Preview Party begins at 6 PM on December 7. We recommend Party-goers start at the Preview Party house, 520 South Stewart Street.
• The Bough and Dough Shop reopens on Sunday, December 8, from noon-5 PM, again as the only location which will be selling advance Holiday House Tour Tickets. Tickets for the tour purchased at the door of the houses on the tour will be $25.
• The house tours start at 1 PM and continue until 5 PM. You may visit the homes on the tour in any order; in fact we encourage you to spread out if you see the lines are especially long at one site.

If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to contact PHW at (540) 667-3577 or phwi@verizon.net.

This Thanksgiving, PHW is thankful for all the wonderful homeowners, volunteers, artisan vendors at the Bough and Dough Shop, advance ticket sale locations, and sponsors of the Holiday House Tour. The Tour could not happen without their support. Many (but not all!) of these supporters have been recognized in the past blog posts, but one large category has so far gone unnamed: our sponsors.

Please take a few moments and look through the Holiday House Tour booklet to see our sponsors’ advertisements. Their ads made our dreams of a program booklet a reality this year with their financial support.

Holiday House Tour Program Booklet, PDF (4 MB)

As a reminder, the PHW office will also be closed on Friday, November 29. We will reopen as usual on Monday, December 2.

If you don’t have time for the full Holiday House Tour experience, you can still stop in to shop, learn how to make a wreath, and take in the festive holiday atmosphere at the Bough and Dough Shop at 315 West Boscawen Street. Admission to the Shop is free and open to anyone, so stop by and check it out!

Featured Artisans at the Shop
Jackie Tobin: Ornaments, greenery arrangements & more
Mary Turner of “Valley Stream Marketplace”: Variety of Homespun items
Lin Hausknecht of ”Shenandoah Potter’s Guild”: Handcrafted pottery
Karen Cartlidge of “Homespun Creations”: Hand-sewn crafts including casserole carriers, pot holders, table runners, placemats & more
Sharon T. Music of “Creations from Harmony Hill”: Handcrafted wool
Nina Burke of “Polymer Clay Jewelry”: Jewelry
Caroline Ott of “Beads of Color”: Handmade beaded jewelry
Avery Snyder: Holiday luminaries
Becky Parish of “A Matter of Taste”: Sweet baked goods
Narelle Jackson: Sweet baked goods
Shauna Lupton: Crocheted bead jewelry
Alma Dove: Sterling silver jewelry
Jose & Mary Montero-Maderia: Handcarved wood utensils

Also Available
Freshly cut greens including pine, juniper, magnolia, boxwood, and nandina
Decorated wreaths and premade bows
Advance tickets for the Holiday House Tour (both Saturday Preview Party and Sunday Daylight tickets)

New This Year
The Shop can process major credit cards through PayPal Here in addition to cash and checks.

Bough and Dough Shop
315 West Boscawen Street

Open Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Dec. 8, noon-5 p.m.
Admission to the Bough and Dough Shop is free

Events at the Bough and Dough Shop
Free Wreath-making Lesson: Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-noon
Musical Entertainment: Dec. 8, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

House Chairman: Dolly Vachon
House Decorator: Nate Windle
Shop Co-Chairs: Debra L. Johnson and Jackie Tobin
Caroler Leader: Kendra Getaz
Caroler Costumer: Marian Cerwensky

Start your tour off right at the Bough and Dough Shop, no ticket needed for admission. The Shop offers fresh cut greenery for your holiday decorating. Baked goods and handcrafts from local artists are available for gift-giving. Don’t miss the free wreath-making lesson on Saturday morning and the live musical entertainment by Sandy Lore and Dave Prince on Sunday. Keep an eye out for carolers from the Winchester Little Theatre in period costumes strolling the tour route on Sunday.

The Theatre occupies a former Pennsylvania Railroad freight depot built circa 1890. The hipped roof over the brick exterior provides cover for the freight loading dock. The interior was modified to accommodate live theatre performances by the Winchester Little Theatre. The Theatre moved into its railway home in 1974 and has provided critically acclaimed professional-quality live theatre to the community ever since. 

Preview Party
520 South Stewart Street
Open Saturday, Dec. 7, 6-9 p.m. only
The Home of Bruce and Donna Downing
House Decorator Donna Downing

The Downings moved into their 1929 Colonial Revival home in 1978. The house was built by Lucretia Wood Ely. Mrs. Ely, her two daughters and a son-in-law, Ben Arthur, all resided in the house at one time. The home borrows its styling from early American building traditions with small pane windows, a pedimented porch with columns protecting the sidelights and transom around the front entry and a symmetrical façade balanced by porch additions on both sides. The Downings have maintained the historic integrity of their home over the years while making changes to accommodate their family needs. The rear sunroom was expanded in 1983 and an elevator was installed in 1984. A pergola connected the house to the garage in 1985 and a rear screened-in porch was added in 1999. The kitchen renovation done in 2003 extended the south façade while protecting the majestic oak tree outside their kitchen window.

The house is furnished with family heirlooms and fine art pieces created by local and regional artists. Deirdre Cochran will entertain guests during the party with live dulcimer music.

It’s that time of the Tour – questions are rolling in! PHW has compiled a list of frequently asked questions and answers over the years which may help you. Do you have a question not on this list? Let us know and we’ll answer your question! You can contact us at (540) 667-3577 or phwi@verizon.net to ask a question or receive clarification.

When are the houses open for tours?
The Preview Party and Candlelight Tour is held on Saturday evening, 6-9 PM, as the kick-off event. The Daylight Tour is held Sunday afternoon, 1-5 PM.

The Bough and Dough Shop hours are different from the Tour hours. The Shop is open 10 AM-5 PM on Saturday and noon-5 PM on Sunday.

Is the event rescheduled for inclement weather?
No, the Holiday House Tour proceeds, rain or shine!

How should I dress for the tour?
Dress for the weather in comfortable, low-heeled shoes for your time outside walking or waiting in line.

Is photography allowed inside the homes?
Please ask the docent at the house in question if photographs are acceptable.

How much is admission to the Bough and Dough Shop?
Admission to the Shop is always free!

Can I visit only one house on the tour?
Yes. Admission to a single house is $5. Pay at the door of the house you wish to visit.

Can I get a discounted ticket to the Saturday tour by skipping the Preview Party?
There is no option for a non-party Saturday ticket at this time. However, all PHW members receive a discount to the Party ticket cost.

Can I receive a refund on unused advance tickets?
PHW will not issue refunds for unused advance tickets. If you purchase Preview Party tickets and are unable to visit all of the houses Saturday night, your tickets are also valid for Sunday’s Daylight tour.

Does the tour sell out?
The tour does not limit the number of visitors for the Sunday Daylight tour. However, the Preview Party is capped between 150-200 people, depending on the size of the Party House that year.

May children attend the Preview Party and Candlelight Tour?
While not prohibited, we do ask that minors are accompanied by an adult. The Preview Party is typically very busy and does not have a set tour like the other homes. It may be overwhelming for small children.

Is any parking reserved for Holiday House Tour patrons?
PHW tries to arrange for parking places in crowded areas and will have signs marking the lots you may use on the day of the tour. Please call the office if you are concerned about parking.

The Home of Tim and Barbara Bandyke
House Chairman Brookie Phillips

A brick wall topped with a wrought iron fence and rails neatly defines the yard of this vernacular Colonial Revival style house on the corner of Pall Mall and Stewart Streets. It is one of the latest structures on this tour with a construction date of 1935. Staying true to the characteristics of the Colonial Revival style this house exhibits the eaves-front symmetrical façade opened by small multi-paned sash windows with shutters. The full front porch with its Tuscan columns and denticulated entablature protects the center hall entry way with transom and sidelights. Inside, the home features several generations of family heirlooms.

After touring the main house, visitors may peek into the circa 1925 Craftsman-style cottage to the rear of the property at 205 West Pall Mall Street for a look at a renovation in progress.

The Home of Joe and Amy Ressa
House Chairman: Mark Lore
House Decorator: Amy Ressa

Between the many Colonial Revival style houses on this street are tucked in delightful eclectic examples of styles popular in the early 20th century, such as this Tudor Revival style home. Built in 1926, the first year of the Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, this house exhibits the variety of the style with an asymmetrical brick façade defined with a high pitched shingled roof, front half-timber gable dormer and protruding front gabled façade. The round arched vertical board front entry with large strap hinges is decorated with a delicately painted bird in a wreath. Once inside the visitor enters a vestibule with tile flooring and an entry way with a 5-tier wedding cake chandelier, parquet floor and plaster moldings which continue into the living and dining rooms. Since milk was delivered fresh in the 1920s, the kitchen has a small milk delivery cupboard in the wall. In the front of this home are first story small paned French doors which open onto a front patio surrounded by a brick pillar and wrought iron railing.

Thorn Hill Manor
The Home of George and Kim Craft
House Chairman Doug Watson

It is believed that the nucleus of Thorn Hill Manor was built in 1787 by Robert White, Jr. on land acquired from James Wood’s widow, Mary, on September 14, 1786. Mr. White was a private in the Continental Army until receiving a serious wound in 1778, sending him back home to Winchester where he began his studies in law with his uncle, Alexander White. After a stellar legal career he was appointed judge of the General Court of Virginia in 1793. He died in 1831 and by 1840 his home began to be passed down to some of the accomplished families in the area such as Joseph Tuley, who built the Tuleries in Clarke County, William Byrd, son of Colonel Richard E. Bird, W. Alexander Baker, City Council member and city treasurer, and Dr. Monford D. Custer, Jr. The original Federal-style house was probably one room deep, three rooms across and two and half stories high. It is believed that the intricate woodwork, mantel and crown molding in the dining room was carved by Hessian workmen who remained in this country after the Revolutionary War. There is evidence of a fire c.1850 after which the house was rebuilt adding two front rooms, lengthening the center hallway and adding the Greek Revival front door with its transom and sidelights. The grand two-story portico with its full pediment and Ionic columns was added c.1920 by Alexander Baker. In 1952 while Dr. and Mrs. Monford Custer were doing renovations, they came upon a message left by Nathaniel B. Meade regarding troop movements during the Civil War.