45th Annual Holiday House Tour

25 West Piccadilly Street,Winchester VA 22601

05 December, 2021

Description

Join PHW for its major fundraiser of the year! Enjoy guided tours of three recently renovated homes decorated in holiday finery. The Holiday House Tour returns for its 45th anniversary. This year we are proud to announce a selection of three recently renovated buildings, all of which are first time houses for the tour. While the size of the tour is smaller than usual, we believe quality will surpass quantity this year. Our three tour homes are: 25 West Piccadilly Street The Philip Williams House was constructed in 1838 in the Greek Revival style. On Nov. 5, 1845, John R. W. Dunbar of Baltimore deeded this property to his brother-in-law Philip Williams, Jr. It was described as "a lot of land in Winchester on which the said Philip Williams, Jr. has lately erected a dwelling house." Williams, who was born in Frederick Co., was admitted to the bar in 1832, was Commonwealth Attorney for Shenandoah and Warren Counties and also represented Shenandoah County in the Virginia House of Delegates. His first wife was Ann Hite of Belle Grove. In 1898, the dwelling and property were sold to Minnie A. Miller, and under her stewardship several additions were constructed to the rear of the building. The interior enlarged room openings, mantel changes, and pressed metal facade design are similar to those seen in other grand homes receiving attention after the Civil War. In the early 20th century, the building began its second life of commercial uses, including a tea house, an inn, and perhaps the best remembered, the Colonial Arts and Crafts Shop. After the closure of Joe’s Steakhouse, the current owners Scott and Barbara Bessette undertook a historic tax credit project to rehabilitate the structure for an event center. 321 South Stewart Street Julia Beverley purchased the corner lot on Stewart and Cecil streets on July 14, 1911. The pebbledashed Colonial Revival-style house was built by 1913, when the Beverley family hosted an elegant supper for a number of out of town guests visiting their daughter Miss Frances Beverley in their newly-built home. The property remained in the Beverley family until 1957. The house has remained largely unchanged on the exterior since its construction. The classic facade harkens back to the mid-1800s and the era of Greek Revival style in American construction with its clean white exterior, dark shutters, and a pedimented entry. The gentle arch in the pediment, along with the understated dentil molding, is carried around to the Cecil Street side of the home on the small southern addition. Look carefully for the arched window with Y-tracery tucked behind this sunroom. The current owners Michael and Lauren Peterson bought the house in 2018 to fit their multi-generational family. Their own design elements have been used to refine the traditional living and dining spaces. Most recently they have renovated their kitchen to a more contemporary and comfortable space for their active family of eight, including their four daughters and Lauren’s parents, Arlene and Dennis Torbett.  814 South Washington Street The pebbledash-covered late Italianate-style home was built for Maurice M. Lynch around 1890. Lynch entered the University of Virginia in 1885, but he withdrew for financial reasons before completing his studies. While teaching school, he studied law in the office of Judge William L. Clark and was admitted to the bar in 1887. His own struggles to receive education drove him to better the schools for the area’s children. He served on the Handley Board of Trustees, the State Board of Education, and as Superintendent of Winchester and Frederick County Public Schools. The new owners, John and Jade Manuel, have spent the last four years bringing colorful life back into their home. The Italianate styling was the inspiration for the arched openings with black and white Italian marble floors in the foyer, as well as the Italian range in the updated Art Deco-themed kitchen. The home is filled with original character including the original 130-year-old antique heart pine floors, three brick chimneys, picture rail, and 9-foot windows in the living room. John and Jade have partnered with the extraordinarily talented Desiree Chandra Lee, owner of Hunt Country Gardens, as well as donations from The Little Garden Club of Winchester, to decorate their home with luscious garlands and wreaths. The home will feature three themed trees: A whimsical forest tree, a family heirloom tree, and a Childhood Leukemia tribute tree in honor of their nephew, Oliver Manuel.  PHW is grateful for the financial support of our major sponsor Bank of Clarke County Foundation, and advertising sponsors Colony Realty; The Shenandoah Group of Wells Fargo Advisors; Lisa McCoig CPA, PC; Winchester Little Theatre; Summit Community Bank; Frederick Block, Brick & Stone; Belle Grove Plantation; Maral Kalbian; and Angel’s Roost. Thank you as well to our in-kind donors of materials for the Shop! Preservation of Historic Winchester was formed in 1964 from the grass-roots preservation movement to preserve the community’s architectural heritage. Over the decades PHW has sponsored educational programs and seminars, annual house tours, and historic tours that inspire, educate, and assist property owners and government officials to further these preservation efforts. Above all, PHW strives to foster a preservation ethic in the community by infusing the thinking, actions, and public policy of Winchester’s citizens and government with the knowledge that historic preservation is a tangible demonstration of the aesthetic and economic benefits of preserving our past.