Eight homes on tap for this year's Gadsden Woman's Club Holiday Tour
The Woman’s Club of Gadsden is marking its 100th anniversary this year, and for more than half that century has hosted a Holiday Tour of decorated homes.
This year’s tour is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 3 and, according to a news release from the club, will feature eight homes, four of them with historical registry status.
Here’s a look at each of the homes:
The Woman's Club Historic Clubhouse
862 Chestnut St.
The clubhouse, built in 1905, is listed on the Alabama Historical Register and National Register of Historic Places and sports many period pieces. It’s available year-round for event rental. Each room will be uniquely decorated for the tour, according to the release, and in conjunction with the centennial celebration there will be a tree dedicated to former U.S. presidents. The upstairs rooms, often used for weddings or receptions, will be decorated in a romantic motif.
The Golden Home
55 Herron Drive NW
Built in 2013, the three-floor riverfront home is owned by James and Jana Golden. Highlights are a a large eat-in kitchen with a keeping room and butler's pantry; a large master suite, guest room, dining room, laundry and living room; a basement with custom-stained concrete floors, a wine cellar, theater room, bunk room and pool table room; a full garage with workshop, full bath and large den with eat-in kitchen; four covered porches; an oversized boat house with boat lift, jet ski lifts and tanning area; and a large fire pit.
The Gunn-Bellenger House
872 Chestnut St.
Built in 1886 by merchant and banker Edward Hollingsworth, the home was bequeathed to the City of Gadsden in 1990. It’s now under private ownership and is being renovated and restored to use for weddings, showers and other events. The home is on both the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage and the National Register of Historic Places.
The McCartney Home
105 Argyle Circle
The English Tudor style home owned by Joy McCartney was built in 1928 and is listed on the Alabama Historical Registry. It has detailed wood arches, beams and floors, and unique brick patterns and tiles.
The Printup Building
350 Locust St.
The building dates to 1880 and once was a luxury hotel; it’s now owned by Dawson Construction and is used for commercial office space. The lobby has been restored to an approximation of its original decor and will contain Christmas decoration. A watercolor painted by Gadsden native Leo Reynolds of the hotel in its glory days will be on display.
The Rosser Home
208 Meadow Creek Road
The home owned by Dustin and Kaitlyn Rosser was built in 2006 and sits in a 3-acre lot in the Highland Port subdivision off Green Valley Road. There are five baths and two half-baths; a fully equipped game room; a movie room; a back patio that includes a covered in-ground spa and lagoon-style saltwater pool with a rock waterfall; and a stacked stone fireplace and cedar gazebo.
The Word Family Law Group
1016 Forrest Ave.
Constructed just past the turn of the 20th century by Dr. Miles Preston Hughes, the two-story building has both Victorian and Classical Revival elements including unique mantles, original hardwoods, pocket doors and a wrap-around porch. It has been used for commercial office space for a couple of generations and is now owned by Circuit Judge Cody Robinson.
The Word Home
225 Argyle Circle
The Colonial Revival home in Gadsden’s historic district was built in 1939 for Herman Carr, manager of Republic Steel, and sits on an estate-size double lot. Current owners Christopher and Julie Word say their favorite space is a full-sized swing bed on the screened porch. The kitchen has custom cabinets; there’s a powder room and a sunroom with two walls of windows offering views of the landscaped backyard.
Tickets for the tour of homes are $15 and may be purchased at the door, or in advance at Johnson’s Giant Food, Family Savings Credit Union, Alabama Gift Co., Willow Tree and the Kay Smith School of Performing Arts.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Woman’s Club scholarship fund and preservation of its clubhouse.
Those attending can start the tour at any of the locations. Directions are printed on the tickets and there’s also a QR code for more information.
No heels are allowed in the homes; those attending are asked to wear flat shoes.
Light refreshments will be available at the Woman’s Club.
Valerie Pugliese and Marie Whitaker are this year’s tour chairs.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden Woman's Club sets Holiday Tour of Homes
