Holiday tour of Decatur’s historic homes returns

DECATUR  – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the River City.

It all gets underway next Saturday when the Albany and Old Decatur Historic Districts present their annual Historic Decatur Christmas Tour.

More than a dozen tour sites including homes, churches and historic places will be open for viewing as part of the self-guided tour from 3 to 8 p.m. Along with seeing some of Decatur’s most historic and architecturally significant dwellings, the festive event offers shopping, refreshments and live holiday music.

This year’s tour features six homes each beautifully decorated with luminaries, fruit, greenery and thousands of lights, four churches, two historic sites and an art center.

Residences in the Albany and Old Decatur Historic Districts are not normally open for public viewing except when a select number of homes open their doors during the annual holiday tour.

Participating properties include:

Albany District

• The Crawford-Gill House, 804 Jackson Street SE
• The Gray-Wiley House, 1038 Jackson Street SE
• The Papenburg House, 425 Sherman Street SE

Old Decatur District

• The Black House, 404 Canal Street NE
• The Knight-Irwin House, 501 Walnut Street NE
• The Lyons House, 703 Ferry Street NE

Other Sites

• Vintage Faith Church, 401 Sherman Street SE
• St. John’s Episcopal Church, 202 Gordon Drive SE
• Historic Depot and Railroad Museum, 701 Railroad Street NW
• Westminster Presbyterian Church, 801 Jackson Street
• First Missionary Baptist Church, 233 Vine Street SW
• Old State Bank, 925 Bank Street (headquarters)
• Carnegie Visual Arts Center, 207 Church Street (secondary headquarters)

Along with the self-guided tour, this year’s schedule includes a holiday market and bell choir at the Westminster Presbyterian Church from 2 to 8 p.m. and food trucks at the Old State Bank from noon to 8 p.m.

Entertainment at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center include Christmas carols by the Bank Street Players and Dream Weavers, an appearance by Santa Claus from 4 to 7 p.m. and carriage rides ($10/person) (weather permitting) from 4 to 8 p.m.

First Missionary Baptist Church will host a live presentation of the church’s history at 3:15, 4:15 and 5:15 p.m.

Downtown merchants and restaurants will be open for dining and holiday shopping before and during the tour.

Tickets for the Historic Decatur Christmas Tour are $30 each and can be purchased in advance online at https://decaturchristmastour.com/tour-tickets/.

Tickets may also be purchased in advance and on the day of the tour at Bank Street Antiques, Carnegie Visual Arts Center, Decatur Morgan County Tourism, Old State Bank, Carnegie Visual Arts Center, Miss Muldrew’s, Tammy Eddy Antiques and Interiors, Hartlex Antique Gallery and Jimmy Smith Jewelers.

Proceeds from the tour are used to preserve, protect and enhance the character and legacy of the historic neighborhoods.

For a schedule of events and more information, visit www.decaturchristmastour.com.