Petersburg Battersea's Holiday Homes Tour: Art & Architecture from Tiffany to TikTok Dec. 5

PETERSBURG - The Battersea Foundation's 6th annual Holiday Homes Tour: "Art & Architecture from Tiffany to TikTok" will be held this Sunday from 12 - 5 p.m.

The tour which includes historical landmarks is a must-see. It will feature a broad, eclectic collection of amazing art as you make your way through Historic Petersburg and its architecturally significant homes and buildings decorated for the holiday season.

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Ticket holders can view original artwork by TikTok superstar Devon Rodriguez the "Subway Sketcher" who was a recent guest on The Today Show. His original paintings and sketches of people on the New York City Subway system have resulted in the artist having over 20 million followers on TikTok. Rodriguez's first public exhibition in the southeast will take place at Battersea at 1289 Upper Appomattox Street during the tour.

The Old Towne portion of the tour is walkable; however, trolleys will run throughout the afternoon to help ticket holders reach destinations included in the 5-hour tour.

Battersea Boardmember Martha Burton who serves as the tourism director for Petersburg Area Regional Tourism Corporation is thrilled with this year's tour.

"It really is a fascinating, unique Christmas home tour because of the extraordinary variety of art that will be shared and the amazing architecture, but there will still be beautiful holiday decorations," Burton said.

Burton provided the following information about Battersea's Art & Architecture from Tiffany to TikTok tour:

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You may want to begin your tour at the Petersburg Public Library’s atrium where you will see a large and very unique, award-winning mosaic that visually presents the history of Petersburg created by Cindy Haynie of Appomattox Tile Art.

The Appomattox Tile Art located in a 1918 Beaux Arts building that was once a Ford Model-A assembly plant located on W. Bank Street is also included on the tour.

Strawberry Hill, located behind the library in a peaceful pecan grove, is on the tour. The architectural jewel built in 1792 following a tripartite Palladian form is now a lovely bed & breakfast and event space. In 1800, upon William Haxall acquiring it, a two-story addition was added to each wing. The woodwork in the drawing room is exquisite.

From there, you will find art in every direction. A very special High Street rowhouse, beautifully appointed, has a Tim Bessell Andy Warhol series Banana surfboard, a painting by Francoise Gilot, the mother of Picasso’s children, and art by Frank Sinatra, Roy DeForest, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Venable, and Cynthia Erdahl.

You will be struck by the pace of progress that has been made on Battersea’s restoration, both on the exterior and interior. The Battersea Board is very excited to showcase works by Rodriguez who is rocking TikTok right now, and the art world is definitely taking notice.

Have you stood and looked at the Trapezium House on the outside and inside? Because of the idiosyncrasies of the early owner’s servant, the house was constructed with no right angles. Upon retirement, Petersburg Judge Oliver Pollard used this house as his art studio.

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Two of the churches of Bristol Parish, formed in 1643, will welcome visitors. Historic Blandford Church built in 1735-1737 on the highest point in Petersburg, Wells Hill, will be sharing its 15 exquisite Tiffany windows designed and built in the period between 1904 and 1912.

The church is surrounded by Blandford Cemetery, the second-largest in Virginia, where burials continue. The oldest marked grave is 1702. It has one of the finest cast and wrought iron fencing in the United States along with an extraordinary collection of funerary art.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Old Towne will also be open. It was built in 1855-1857 and has a beautiful sanctuary.

The McIlwaine House, a favorite of filmmakers where Spielberg’s Lincoln was filmed is included on the Holiday Homes Tour. In addition to the gorgeous rooms, the owner’s art collection includes a painting by Grandma Moses, Children at Play, an outstanding three-quarter portrait of Dolley Madison, and Prisoner of War Art Elba by Napoleon’s Guards.

Just up the street, located on a lot purchased from Robert Bolling, is the Historic Farmers’ Bank, one of the oldest bank buildings in the United States. It is fascinating to see the heavy safe which was in the cashier’s office during business hours and lowered down into the vault below the first floor at night. The press and plates used to print the currency will also be on display.

The Courtyard behind the bank was used frequently in the PBS series Mercy Street.

Just up the hill, Centre Hill, the Bolling family home, will be open and beautifully decorated for the holiday season. This elaborate 1823 house was the Greene family home in Mercy Street. All three floors are open for the tour and you will love the breathtaking woodwork in the center hall.

In the heart of Old Towne at 7 E. Old Street, Petersburg Area Art League will host their annual Trees of Christmas exhibit during the tour.

All "Art & Architecture from Tiffany to TikTok" ticket proceeds will be used to continue the restoration of Historic Battersea.

Burton and the Battersea Board invite The Progress-Index readers to view the showcase of amazingly diverse art offerings and rich architectural history that lives in Petersburg.

"We hope it will be an enriching holiday experience for all who attend," Burton said.

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Parking is available behind the Petersburg Public Library at Washington and Market Streets.

To kick off the holidays and support the continued restoration of the beautiful 18th-century villa, purchase $25 tickets at eventbrite.com, at Abigail's Antiques in Old Towne, or on the day of the tour at the Petersburg Public Library.

Visit batterseafound.org for more information and for inquiries regarding the tour call (804) 732-9882.

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- Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly columnist is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on Twitter, and subscribe to us at progress-index.com.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg Holiday Homes Tour raises restoration funds for Battersea