If you are one of the many who love Prescott because of the historic architecture that helps define its quaint hometown character, then you are not alone. An upcoming event will feature homes and other buildings that will be open for Prescott’s Historic Home Tour in 2018.
The Prescott Historic Home Tour is an event planned by an all-volunteer committee and supported by other local volunteer organizations in the community. Prescott Historic Home Tour LLC is a non-profit organization that plans the event and is dedicated to returning all proceeds from the event, above and beyond covering event costs, to local charities; so when buying a ticket you are also helping to contribute back to the community.
This organization hosted a 2014 tour in East Prescott Historic District along South Mount Vernon Ave., South Pleasant Street, and Union Street. Subsequently, a 2016 tour was held in the west Prescott Historic District along Park Ave., Country Club Drive and various side streets.
This year’s tour will be held on Saturday, May 5th. The ticket booth, located at the Smoki Museum,147 N. Arizona Avenue, opens at 9:30 am. Internet tickets, through Paypal, are now available at https://www.smokimuseum.org/2018-historic-home-tour for $15.00. Advance ticket sales will also begin mid-March, with tickets priced at $15, available at Klein Properties and Investments, 130 Grove Avenue, Prescott, 86301, (928)443-8503, and at the Smoki Museum Gift Shop. The same-day ticket price is $17.00. Children under 8 are free. The tour will begin at 10 am and the last tickets will be sold at 3 pm, with historic houses and buildings closing for tours at 4 pm.
Attendees will receive a map and tour booklet detailing locations of open homes and buildings. Historical information about each location will be included in the tour booklet.
This year’s tour will focus on the North Prescott Townsite Historic District. This includes the area bounded by Sheldon St. on the north, Gurley St. on the south, Marina St. on the west and Arizona Ave. on the east. We currently have 13 participating historic buildings and one site; historic homes, the Smoki Museum, the First Congregational Church, the Old Sacred Heart Church (Prescott Center for the Arts), Washington School, the Prescott Armory and the Citizens Cemetery. The Prescott Antique Auto Club will have collector cars at various points along the tour. The open historic homes and buildings, plus Citizens Cemetery will be clearly marked with a sign and staged with volunteers positioned to help usher visitors through each of the locations.
On-street parking near the Smoki Museum and throughout the neighborhood will be available for tour participants. There is no parking in Citizens Cemetery. Bathroom facilities will be available at the public buildings. A youth group will sell water as part of a fundraiser for their organization. Volunteers will be on-site throughout the neighborhoods to make sure driveway access points stay clear and to assist with general questions.
You can stay in touch for tour events by following “Prescott Historic Preservation” on facebook. All tours are listed under the events section on that page. You can also find information on the City’s website- http://www.prescott-az.gov/city-management/history/historic-home-tour/
You can also call Cat Moody in the Historic Preservation Office at 928-777-1309.