Holiday homes tour will benefit Paramount Theater rebuilding
By Turner Walston
Published in News on November 1, 2005 1:50 PM
This holiday season, Goldsboro's history will come alive again. The third Holiday Historic Homes Tour on Dec. 11 will raise money for the reconstruction of another historic building -- the Paramount Theater.
This year's tour will wind its way through nine historic homes on Park Avenue plus Goldsboro High School. The decorated homes will take tourists back to turn-of-the-century Goldsboro.
"We wanted to do Park Avenue because we have not done that area before," said Nancy Delia, tour committee chairman.
Mrs. Delia said the biennial tours offer perspective on Goldsboro's history.
"I think we have potential for people to look at both business and residential areas with a different eye than they have in the past," she said.
Julie Thompson, of the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp., agreed.
"You just don't find new houses that are being built the same as these historic homes," she said.
Previous tours, in 2001 and 2003, have featured the George and Virginia Street areas and William and Walnut streets.
"We do it every other year, which gives people something to look forward to," Mrs. Delia said.
This year's Holiday Historic Homes Tour will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. Tour groups will disperse from the Herman Park House to visit the nine homes and the main building of Goldsboro High School.
Cecilia Budd Grimes, author of "What It Means to Be Southern," will sign books as part of the tour. Christmas carolers will travel up and down Park Avenue in a trolley. Vendors selling holiday crafts will be present as well.
In addition to the tour, an Oyster Roast will be held on the lawn of the Oettinger-Spicer House at 619 Park Ave., from 4 to 7 p.m.
Tour tickets are available at the office of the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. office at 218 E. Walnut St., at the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce office and the Wayne County Public Library. Tickets cost $15 in advance, and are $17 at the door. Students with identification will pay $10. Oyster Roast tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Combination tour and roast tickets are available for $30 in advance, $40 at the door.
Committee members will be preparing tour decorations on Saturday at the home of Jewel and Randy Sauls.
Anyone interested in helping should call 736-4423.
"These are some homes that people have driven past their whole lives and wanted to go inside," Mrs. Sauls said.
"We are so grateful that owners of the homes have opened them up and let the community see them, and raise money for a great cause."