Historic Willo Welcomes Visitors This Sunday!
The homes do not have garages, walk-in closets, or entertainment centers. They were built in the 1920’s and ’30’s before people thought lots of storage space was essential in a home. But for every modern convenience they may seem to lack, the historic homes of Willo more than make up for them in charm and grace.
Once a year, a dozen or so homeowners in Phoenix’s Willo Historic District open their well-loved and well-cared for houses for the annual home tour. Homeowners invest a great deal of time and care (and yes, money) in restoring and maintaining the unique features of these homes. Styles run the gamut from English Cotswold to Spanish mission, French provincial, and Tudor revival.
Once farmland on the outskirts of Phoenix, Willo became a suburb in the early part of the 20th century, and almost two dozen subdivisions were built through the beginning of WWII. As Phoenix grew after the war, commercial development began to encroach. But in the 1980’s, Willo residents lobbied successfully for historic district status.
This Sunday, February 10, 2008, you can enjoy the 20th Annual Willo Historic Home Tour & Street Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Willo is just west of Central Avenue between Thomas and McDowell Roads from 1st to 7th Avenues. Visitors can stroll the tree-lined streets from house to house, or take a trolley that will carry people throughout the neighborhood. Here is a sneak peak of 2 homes that will be on the tour.
There is also street fair with handcrafts, antiques, local artwork, and plenty of food choices. Tickets are $15.00 the day of the tour and can be purchased at 3rd Avenue and Holly. Free for children 12 years and younger when accompanied by a paying adult. You can also buy tickets for $12.75 online in advance (by 9:00 p.m. February 9) and pick them up at the event. You can find more information and purchase tickets here: http://willohistoricdistrict.com/hometour
Hope to see you this Sunday in Willo!
Great info here. This sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually get off of my butt and check out one of these tours.
I love historic home tours! We have some great ones every year in Saint Paul. Our homes date back to the 1880’s, so it would be nice to visit your home tours to see a different era.
[...] is Willo Historic Home Tour Month, and I have previously written about the Willo Historic Homes Tour. No, Historic Willo does not date back to the 14th Century; however, it is the largest historic [...]