2022: Historic Tyler on Tour offers attendees a peek inside local homes

Published 5:45 am Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Attendees of the Historic Tyler on Tour can take a step back in time this April. Six historic homes from the late-1800s to mid-1900s will be open for the public to view in all their glory.

Historic Tyler is a local group that began its Historic Tyler on Tour event in 1981 and has showcased over 200 homes since then, said Ashley Washmon, Historic Tyler executive director.

The event, which is held annually during the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail, is set for Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 from 1 to 4 p.m.

During the tour, attendees can take a self-guided tour through some of Tyler’s most historic homes. A representative will also be inside each home to guide guests though and share the history of the home with them, Washmon said.

“This is the public’s chance to get a peek inside the historic homes in town,” Washmon said.

Planning for this event begins 18 months in advance, Washmon said. During the planning process, Historic Tyler finds homeowners who are willing to open their homes to the public and researches each house on the tour.

Homes in this year’s tour include:

• The Chilton-Lipstate-Taylor House at 727 S. Chilton Avenue

• The Payne-Egana House at 1421 S. College Avenue

• The Hill-Noteware House at 1626 Dennis Drive

• The Simon Saleh-Leahy House at 1203 S. College Avenue

• The Enmon Houseat 1401 Belmont Drive

• The Cooper-Bamert House at 403 W. First Street

The organization is promoting its tagline, “Small Town, Big History,” because “there is a big history, a big story, associated with each of the properties,” Washmon said.

Each home on this year’s tour features different types of architecture and unique stories, Washmon said. One of the homes has an architectural style not seen on any other house in Tyler and another is rumored to have had a speakeasy during the prohibition, she said.

“I think it’s unique to have an event that’s so longstanding,” Washmon said. “I think the exciting thing about the historic homes tour is that the public has maintained interest and support of the event and of Historic Tyler, and I also think as the years go on the need for the education of historic preservation grows.”

Historic properties will continue to age and will need work done as time passes, Washmon said. It is important to bring light to the importance of these homes and their history, she said.

“(Historic Tyler) kind of safeguards what defines Tyler,” Washmon said. “When you think of Tyler, you think of azaleas and roses and the beautiful homes. We safeguard the historic charm that is Tyler.”

Attendees of the tour will notice that the architecture, the bricks used and even the wood was different from what is used today to build homes, Washmon said.

“Everything was different and you can’t replicate it now,” she said.

The tour is Historic Tyler’s largest fundraiser, which funds preservation projects. Some things the group has done include provide funding for exterior repairs to the Goodman-LeGrand House and fund a forensic investigation to document historic materials at the Riviere House that burned.

“It is vital that we preserve Tyler’s past for future generations. This legacy will be lost without intervention,” Historic Tyler said on its website. “The concerns that Historic Tyler addresses are shared by all Tylerites, not just those who live in older neighborhoods or who own historic properties. Urban revitalization and economic diversification, defense of neighborhood integrity and authenticity of the place, preservation of green space, and protection of historic resources are among the most critical issues we face. We are making a positive impact on the quality of life throughout Tyler.”

In the past there have been around 1,000 people who took the historic tour, Washmon said.

Tickets are $25 for those who are not Historic Tyler members and $15 for members. There is no limit on the number of tickets sold.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at historictyler.org, or at House of Wynne, RJ Jewelers, Rose Garden Gift Shop, Sweet Gourmet, The Chamber of Commerce, the Potpourri House, Visit Tyler or by calling the Historic Tyler Office at (903) 595-1960.

Tickets can also be purchased the days of the tour at any home on the tour.

For more information, email ashley@historictyler.org or call 903-595-1960.