Few things can match the joy that comes from a home filled with holiday cheer. Add a little history and heritage - well actually, a lot of all of the above - and you've got a season to remember.
This will all be in the spotlight on Saturday, Dec. 14 as the Parker County Heritage Society (PCHS) will present the 41st Candlelight Tour of Homes from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The tour began in 1983 - skipping the COVID pandemic year of 2020.
The tour will feature six unique historic homes built between 1889 and 1930. Chandor Gardens, the Doss Center, Prince Memorial Church, and the Parker County Courthouse will also be open for tours, included with the ticket.
The order of the tour is:
1. Weatherford College Alumni House, 301 E. Park Ave.
2. Lowe-Wright House, 202 W. Oak St.
3. Woolfork-McCall House, 202 S. Waco St.
4. Warwick House, 315 Cleveland Ave.
5. Bateman House, 218 E. Simmons St.
6. Shadle House, 820 S. Waco St.
7. Prince Memorial Church, 410 W. Oak St.
8. Chandor Gardens, 711 W. Lee Ave.
9. Doss Heritage and Cultural Center, 1400 Texas Dr.
10. Parker County Courthouse on the Weatherford City square, 1 Courthouse Square.
Each stop is filled with its own unique bit of history that has impacted Parker County and its residents over the many years.
“I think our Candlelight Tour is so popular because of word of mouth throughout North Texas,” said Jo-Alice Davis of the PCHS. “We have even had people from other states and Countries - usually they are visiting relatives in the area or stationed at the JRB in Ft. Worth.
“Many of those who enjoy our tour do it year after year.”
The PCHS originally had a Spring Tour for several years. However, Davis said it became hard to find homes whose yards were "great" and the tour was hard on the owners because of that.
A night tour was also considered, she said. However, in the spirit of the holiday season, they learned something from some neighbors, such as those in Waxahachie and Cleburne, and incorporated it into their own - which has, like those, become one of the more popular tours in the North Texas area.
Now, Christmas time in Parker County is highlighted by this annual event. It also is key in preserving historic buildings and landmarks, the community's identities and roots.
Younger generations greatly benefit from the history and develop a greater appreciation for all that came before them.
Davis said homeowners who were on the tour the previous year are reached out to if they showed an interest in repeating.
“We re-contact those first to see if this is really ‘next year. Then, various people suggest homes or know owners of homes who might be interested in being on the tour,” she said.
Letters are sent out in the summer to prospective homeowners asking if they would be interested. Those are followed up with personal contacts, whether they responded to the letter or not.
“Somehow it all works out by September or October,” Davis said with a smile.
The funds raised from the tour go to the Parker County Heritage Society, but benefit historic preservation endeavors throughout the county. Davis said the Heritage Society doesn’t really have other expenses and is a 501c(3) non-profit.
Funds netted from last year’s tour - around $20,000 - have been used on the Millsap Post Office restoration and to support the purchase of a Steinway Chippendale piano for Chandor Gardens.
“That piano is very similar to the one Ina Chandor played while Douglas Chandor was doing his famous portraits,” Davis said.
Some of the funds this year have gone to the Daughters of the American Revolution for a Plaque to be placed on a monument at Soldier Springs Park in Weatherford.
Davis said this coming year the PCHS will be supporting the rehabilitation/preservation of the huge French stable Comte Paul de Bresson Stable, off South Main Street/Highway 51 behind the Chick Fil A on property owned by Weatherford College and under the purview of the Parker County Historical Commission,
Tickets/wristbands are required for the tour and will not be available at the homes. They may be ordered online at parkercountyheritagesociety.com, then picked up or purchased at the Doss Heritage Center, 1400 Texas Dr. in Weatherford.
Tickets are also available at the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce for cash or check only. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.
No food, drinks, vaping, or smoking allowed inside the tour locations.
The other event hosted by the PCHS is the Talking Tombstone Tour, which takes place on the first Saturday in May at the Old City Greenwood Cemetery. It features costumed docents who portray historical figures, sharing each figure’s personal stories and insights at their respective grave sites.
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