Goldsboro historic homes tour to be held Dec. 8
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on November 25, 2007 2:00 AM
Christmas is around the corner, and people will be welcoming family and friends into their homes.
Some, in Goldsboro's historic district, will be opening their homes up to many more.
On Saturday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., eleven homes and one church will be featured on the Historic Homes Tour.
The tour presents an opportunity for people to see both the exterior and interior of houses dating from 1875 to the early 1900s.
Some of the homes are ones that may have been formerly dilapidated, and the owners have updated them while keeping the history preserved.
From paint colors to windows, the houses are as close to their historical prime as they can be.
Tour takers can enjoy a Saturday walking from house to house while taking in pieces of Goldsboro's architectural history.
The Lee-Gaylor House, located at 310 W. Walnut St., was constructed in the early 1920s on the Borden family property. The two-and-a-half story Dutch Colonial Revival style house was designed by John D. Guilette and is five bays wide with additions on both sides.
The A.F. Scott House is located at 201 S. Virginia St. Built in 1926, this one-and-a-half story Bungalow style house, complete with stone porch columns, was built by Goldsboro businessman A. F. Scott.
The Daniels Stenhouse House, now called the Plum Tree Gardens Bed and Breakfast, is located at 109 S. George St. More than a hundred years old, the house was built in 1890 on the Borden family property. The two story Queen Anne style house was originally built for Judge Frank Daniels with Doric columns and a sawn balustrade.
The Crabtree House at 313 N. James St. was built by George Crabtree in the Victorian style in 1895. The two story, three bay frame house has a slate roof and an Eastlake style porch.
Continuing, the Solomon Weil House, at 204 W. Chestnut St., was built in 1875 and is not only an example of Italianate architecture but also an example of one of only a few twin houses in the country.
The next house, located at 103 S. George St., is the F.K. Borden House, named so because it was built on the Borden family property. The two story, three bay frame house was built in 1883 in the Victorian style complete with a wraparound porch.
The two-and-a-half story, Colonial Revival style Stroud Cobb House, at 211 W. Ash St., was built 93 years ago in 1914. The house was purchased in 1936 by Dr. Donald Cobb and his wife Sarah Borden.
Built in 1906 by Wayne County lawyer and judge J. Langhorne Barham, the Barham Graham House, located at 310 W. Mulberry St., is a two story, three bay home with a wraparound porch.
The Henry Weil House is located at 200 W. Chestnut St., and was built over 130 years ago. The two story, four bay house is an example of Italianate architecture and has dentil molding across the roofline and several porches.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was built in 1856 in the English Gothic Revival style. The 200 N. James St. church was designed by notable ecclesiastical architect John W. Priest and has seven stained glass windows.
The Bizzell House at 207 W. Ash St. was built in 1914 by Dr. Malcolm Bizzell. The brick home was originally clapboard and situated closer to the street.
The J.J. Hatch House a two story house at 107 N. George St. and has an interesting roofline. This house is being prepared for renovation.
Tickets are $15 in advance and can be purchased at the Downtown Goldsboro Devel-opment Corp. office, the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne County Public Library. Tickets are $17 the day of the event and can be purchased at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
The Preservation Conven-tion will also be held on Dec. 8. The convention will be comprised of seven classes held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The "Antiques Road Show" will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Wayne County Museum where Certified Antique Appraiser Conway Rose will appraise antiques that are brought in.
"Caring & Cleaning Antique Linens" will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Pat Setzer will demonstrate the proper techniques for cleaning and caring for linens. Those attending should bring an item or two that need special care in order to get a hands-on lesson.
Tours of homes in the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan will be given by Preservation North Carolina Regional Director Dean Reudrich. Two tours will be given. The first will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and the second will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Both tours will begin at 106 N. Virginia St.
"How to Research Your Genealogy" will be held from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. in the Computer Training Room of City Hall Annex, and "Protecting & Salvaging Old Pictures" will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Those attending the picture class are encouraged to bring in favorite old pictures.
"The Story of Olde Goldsborough & Beyond" will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. in the main conference room in the City Hall Annex. Local historian Charlie Gaylor will show a pictorial presentation of the city's history.
"Tree Protection During Restoration" will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the main conference room in the City Hall Annex. Jessica Hyatt from the Wayne County Cooperative Extension will instruct how to protect existing trees during the renovation process of historic structures.
All classes are free.