First-Ever Greenwood Historic Home Tour Set For September 14
Photographer / Amy Garro
The first-ever Greenwood Historic Home Tour will take place on September 14, and locals will have the chance to get a close look at some of Old Town Greenwood’s oldest and most unique residences.
“Old Town Greenwood is growing a lot, and there are so many great historic homes here,” says Craig DeBoor, co-organizer and board member with Restore Old Town Greenwood, Inc. (ROTG). “Franklin, Meridian Kessler and other places do great home tours, and we thought it would be neat to showcase the great historic homes in our community. We also hope that it brings more traffic into Old Town Greenwood in the hopes that it drives people to the small businesses here.”
As event organizers, DeBoor and his ROTG colleagues initially sent out a post on the group’s Facebook page requesting applications from anyone interested in featuring their home for the tour and followed up with site visits to each home to make their decisions on which homes to include.
“It was all by application only — we didn’t have to go door-to-door and ask homeowners if they wanted to get involved,” DeBoor says. “Our goal was six to eight homes, and we’ve got some great, iconic properties that folks can see. The community really responded after we put out our Facebook post and got some good buzz going.”
And there will be plenty of history to experience. The oldest property included in the tour dates back almost 200 years. Its original home was constructed in 1823, and the current house was built 49 years later, just seven years after the Civil War
“That property was one of the first 150-acre sections given by the governor to settlers for development in 1823 and 1824 in Johnson County,” DeBoor says. “I don’t know of any properties around here that are older than that. The craftsmanship on these homes is something I think people will appreciate being able to see.”
Attendees can register and purchase tickets online and pick up wristbands on the morning of the one-day event along with a map and a brochure full of info on each historic home. Fifty volunteers will be spread amongst the homes to answer questions and provide additional information throughout the day.
“It’s self-guided, so people can come and go as they please once they pick up their wristbands and spend as much time in each home as they like,” DeBoor explains. “The brochures will also feature information about small businesses here like the restaurants and bars and fun things to do here. We’re hoping this will generate interest from locals and from those coming from outside Greenwood.”
Founded in 2011, Restore Old Town Greenwood, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the historic preservation and revitalization of Old Town Greenwood and promotion of local businesses. The group partnered with the City of Greenwood to complete restorations on 22 building facades in Old Town Greenwood two years ago.
“We’re really trying to create a great community feel with this event and bring people here not only to see the great homes but discover the great restaurants, boutique stores and antique shops here too,” DeBoor says. “The mayor said everywhere he goes, he talks about Old Town Greenwood and the community that we have here. The pride of ownership is great here and being able to expose that is great. We want to show off that we have some great homes and that this is a great place to live, work and play.”
