Bay View, Concordia houses are among the highlights of 2023 home tours season

Soon you can step inside lovingly tended historic homes, newer homes that have been spruced up, and quaint cottages that have been transformed.

Yes, the 2023 home tours are ready to start.

Most of these spaces are opened to the public by homeowners who want to help promote their neighborhoods or to benefit area causes.

One of the most popular tours here, and one of the first to be held each year, is the Spaces & Traces tour, organized by Historic Milwaukee.

This year, the tour will be May 13 in the Bay View neighborhood, and will include 11 single-family homes and duplexes and six commercial buildings, said Julia Griffith, program director at Historic Milwaukee.

It’s not the first time this neighborhood has been featured.

“We were last there in 2007. Previous to that, it was 1989. 2007 doesn’t seem like that long ago, but so much change in Bay View. … We will showcase some of the folks who have been there a long time and some of the newer people who have put their personal stamps on their properties,” she said.

She praised the variety of homes built in pockets of development, ranging from cottages to mansions.

One of the grander homes on the tour is the turn-of-the-century Nordberg House,built by Bruno V. Nordberg, who founded Nordberg Manufacturing Co., (later Rexnord) with Jacob Elias Friend in 1886.

“His house has lots of woodwork, and the exterior is still original. Subsequent owners modernized the kitchen and the bathrooms, but they did it in keeping with the style of the home. It has a beautiful library, and an inglenook,” she said.

A commercial  building of interest is the Bay View Printing Co., located in a former church.

“There is a historic press in the basement, and the offices are upstairs. From the outside, it still looks like a little frame church,” Griffith said.

'We are trying to preserve and enhance this neighborhood'

Another popular tour held early in the season is the Historic Concordia Home Tour.

Marcin Selm, chairperson for the June 17 event, said the theme will be “Stewards of History,” representing the people and organizations in the neighborhood.

He said some of the grand homes there were built by wealthy individuals, but smaller homes around them were for working-class people.

“Throughout the last century and a half, these houses have been fixed up” by those who lived in them, he said.

“Even in down times, there were things that were done to protect the houses and to protect the fabric of the neighborhood. This is a very diverse neighborhood. … There are a lot of efforts by the people who lived here to be stewards of the neighborhood.

“We are here and we are trying to preserve and enhance this neighborhood. We want people to recognize that this is a neighborhood worth improving,” he said.

Here is a list of upcoming tours. Some events might not have all the information on their websites yet, so watch for updates or changes.

Also watch for additional tours in the home and garden calendar at jsonline.com/life.

May home tours

Spaces & Traces 2023 Bay View: Organized by Historic Milwaukee. Guided tours of 11 renovated and restored single-family homes and duplexes and six commercial buildings. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 13. It will include a 1 p.m. talk on the history of Bay View by historian John Gurda at St. Lucas Lutheran Church, 2605 S Kinnickinnic Ave. Tour headquarters are the South Shore Yacht Club. Tickets are$30 for members of Historic Milwaukee, $40 for non-members, $15 for volunteers. Tickets available in advance online or the day of the tour at the yacht club. See historicmilwaukee.org or call (414) 277-7795.

NARI Tour of Remodeled Homes: Tour about 20 homes remodeled by members of Milwaukee’s National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Homes, which range from older to new construction, will showcase the latest in design, materials and fixtures. Clusters of homes will be in Brookfield, Wauwatosa, Greendale, Milwaukee and Pewaukee/Lake Country. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20 and May 21. Tickets are $20. For more information:naritourhomes.com/home.html.

Historic Architecture Walking Tours: Walking tours showing the exteriors of historic homes and some commercial buildings in the Madison area. Eight tours each year highlight 15 to 20 buildings. Tours are at 6 p.m. Thursdays and at 10 a.m. Saturdays from May 27 to Sept. 23. Given by volunteer docents from Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. Tickets, which must be purchased online, are available starting May 1. They are $15 for adults, $5 for students and free for Madison Trust members. Money benefits Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. See: madisonpreservation.org or call 608) 441-8864.

June home tours

Historic Concordia Home Tour, Stewards of History: A tour of about 10 historic homes, two commercial buildings and some gardens in the Concordia neighborhood. Homes are within walking distance of each other in the northeast area of the neighborhood between Kilbourn Avenue and Highland Boulevard, from 27th to 31st streets. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 17. There will also be a guided trolley tour with a focus on historic and significant structures, interesting stories, neighborhood evolution and revitalization projects. Five departures throughout the day. Tours depart from the Schlitz Mansion, 2004 W. Highland Blvd.

In addition to the tours, there will be a talk by Bobby Tanzilo, of Urban Spelunking at OnMilwaukee.com, a silent auction, musical entertainment, artisan fair, food trucks and a beer tasting garden.

Advance tickets are $20 for the home tour at hcni.org/home-tour. Day-of-tour tickets are $25 at the Greater Utopian Pentecostal Church, 2925 W. State St. Trolley tour tickets combined with the Tour of Homes are $50. Reservations are required. For more information: hcni.org.

July home tours

The 62nd Annual Door County Home and Garden Walk: Tour four private homes, a gallery and gardens in Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor. Home styles vary from contemporary to historic. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 25. Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 the day of the tour. Tickets go on sale July 1 at some area outlets and online. See dcmedical.org/volunteer/house-and-garden-walk, call Robin Hamm-Jackson at  (920) 746-3609, or email robin.hamm-jackson@dcmedical.org.

Wright and Like Architectural Home Tour 2023: Will be held in Milwaukee July 29. See wrightinwisconsin.org website closer to the date for more details.

August home tours

2023 MBA Parade of Homes: Tour 12 new homes from nine area builders in two subdivisions: Renwood North in Germantown and Redford Hills in Sussex. From Aug. 12 to Sept. 4. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and Labor Day. For ticket information, see mbaparadofhomes.com or call (262) 436-1122 closer to the date.

September home tours

Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places: Tour six historic homes and one commercial building the Racine area. From noon to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24. See the website for locations and ticket information closer to the date of the tour. Sponsored by Preservation Racine Inc. Money earned goes to support historic building, preservation and education. See preservationracine.org or call (262) 634-0734.

October home tours

40th Covered Bridge Art Studio Tour: More than 50 artists from Mequon to West Bend will open their studio spaces to the public. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13, 14, 15. Free. Tour begins at any of the locations. Communities participating are Mequon, Thiensville, Cedarburg, Grafton, Port Washington, Newburg, West Bend and Saukville. Most of the artists will be creating art during the event and will explain their artistic process and inspirations. To download a map of the tour, get a list of the participating artists, or see videos of artist working, see: cedarburgartistsguild.com/coveredbridgeartstudiotour

November home tours

Christmas Fantasy House: Celebrating 30 years. Tour a Delafield home decorated for the holidays by area design professionals. Nov. 4 to 12. (Check closer to the date for times.) Tickets are $25. Free parking and shuttles to the event location at Highway 83 and I-94. Group tours will be offered. Money benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southeastern Wisconsin. There will be a silent auction, a sweet shop, holiday boutique, and raffles for baskets, wreaths, and decorations on a number of Christmas trees. For more information: christmasfantasyhouse.com or email christmasfantasywi.@gmail.com.

Hudson Christmas Tour of Homes: Tour four homes and the historic Octagon House in Hudson; all decorated for the holidays. Tour options include: The “Dazzle Tour,” from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov 17. Traditional tours will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 and from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 19. Traditional tours will include optional transportation. Check the website for ticket information. Proceeds benefit next year’s tour. Presented by the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. For advance tickets call (715) 386-8411. For more information: hudsonwi.org.

December

41st Annual Monches Artisan Holiday Open House: A free, self-driving tour of about seven artists shops and studios around the artist community of Monches. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 1, 2 and 3 at most locations. (Interiors of the homes are not open to public.) Holiday music, bonfires and refreshments at some locations. For information: (262) 853-2731 or see monchesartisans.com.  

2023 Holiday Home Tour: Tour four homes and the Wauwatosa Woman’s Club clubhouse decorated for the holidays and see a museum with Wauwatosa history at the clubhouse. Put on by the Wauwatosa Woman’s Club. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 2. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the day of the tour at the clubhouse or at the homes. For advance tickets available in November, see wauwatosawomansclub.org. For more information, email president@wauwatosawomansclub.org or call (414) 257-9935.

Rock Lake Holiday Tour of Homes: Tour about four homes decorated for the holidays in Lake Mills. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 2. For ticket information and locations see the website or call closer to the date of the tour. Sponsored by the activity center. Proceeds benefit the center, a nonprofit health and wellness center. For more information: rocklakeac.org or (920) 945-0156.

Watertown Holiday Parade of Homes: Tour homes decorated for the holidays. From 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the show. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Watertown Chamber of Commerce office, 519 E. Main St., or online at watertownmainstreet.org. Tickets day of tour can be purchased at the homes. For more information see the website, Holiday Parade of Homes on Facebook, email watertownmainstreet@gmail.com, or call (920) 342-3623.

Hartford Historical Home Tour: A tour of about three historic homes in the Hartford area decorated for the holidays. From noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 9. Sponsored by the Hartford Historical Society. Proceeds benefit the society. Check the website later for ticket information. See hartfordhistoricalwi.com or call (262) 457-2300.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Home tours 2023: Bay View, Concordia highlight Milwaukee area events