Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/610029
DECEMBER 2-8, 2015 UCW 13 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Christ mas is t he most wonderf ul t ime of t he year. Trees, light s, candles, music, stock ings, gif t s and sweet t reat s adorn households ever y where in ant icipat ion of t he holidays. Christ mas cont inues to be an all-t ime favorite and t he Woman's Club of Fayet tev ille loves it, too, which is why t he group host s it s annual Christ mas Tour of Homes. This year, it falls on Sunday, Dec. 6 f rom 1 – 6 p.m. "This is somet hing we have had for t he last 15 years and it is our big f undraiser of t he year," said Elaine Kennebeck, president of t he Woman's Club. " We have to keep t he historical buildings of Herit age Square maint ained and preser ved." Kennebeck added t hat ever y year t hey have bet ter at tendance because people look for ward to t he home tours and t hey are t he only ones doing somet hing t his large. The addresses of the seven homes on the tour are: • The Sandford House (circa 1797) and t he Oval Ballroom (circa 1818) located at 225 Dick St reet • Joshua and Adam Gray-Heim at 118 Hillside Ave. • Lynn Pryor and Bob Dees at 647 Brandts Lane • Tim Edwards and Bill Jordan at 114 Hale Street • Stephanie and Mamo Meaza at 3004 Rat hburn Cour t • Carol Ann and Locket t Tally at 2222 Bay v iew Drive • Private Haymount Residence at 1414 Raeford Road "The homes t his year are fabulous and probably t he nicest homes t hat we have ever had," said Kennebeck . "It has gone f rom years ago ask ing people to show t heir homes and hoping t hey would follow t hrough and now we already have four houses wait ing for nex t year 's home tour." Kennebeck added t hat people are calling t he club want ing t heir home on t he Christ mas tour. The event has been ver y successf ul t he last couple of years. She would like to raise $10,000 t his year. The Woman's Club of Fayet tev ille was organized in 1946. The organizat ion is responsible for Fayet tev ille's f irst public rest rooms, teachers' f irst ret irement plans and many ot her project s. "Our only mission is to preser ve and maint ain t he historical homes of Herit age Square," said Kennebeck . " We recent ly had a silent auct ion to help bring in f unds." The homes of Herit age Square are t he Sandford House, t he Oval Ballroom and t he Baker-Haigh-Nimock s House. The Sandford House is t he largest house and was rented in 1941 by t he Woman's Club f rom it s ow ners. It was used as liv ing quar ters for single work ing women in t he cit y. It was also used as a space for women's organizat ions to meet . Soldiers would spend t ime at t he Sandford House fellowshipping w it h t he women and t heir f riends. The house has an assembly room which is used as a meet ing place for t he Woman's Club. "Many families have lived in t he Sandford House and it has so much histor y," said Kennebeck . "It used to be t he Second Bank of t he United St ates and a boarding house for young ladies coming into tow n to work at t he cour t house or doctor 's of f ices." The Oval Ballroom was donated to the Woman's Club by Mrs. M. B. McLean and the main purpose of the building has become a photo- op for brides. It is furnished by pieces donated by the Colonial Dames. The unique structure is an elongated octagon on the outside and a perfect oval on the inside. It is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. "The Oval Ballroom used to be t he dining room on t he Halliday House," said Kennebeck . "It was renovated about 12 years ago by t he Colonial Dames." The Woman's Club ow ns t he building but t he Colonial Dames are responsible for t he renovat ions and upkeep of t he house. The Baker-Haigh-Nimock s House, an example of Georgian architect ure, was built in 1804 and is believed to have been built by ship builders f rom t he nor t h who came dow n sout h in t he w inter to build homes. The house has a beaut if ul circular st aircase t hat w inds to t he second stor y. "Not hing had been done to t his house for years and years," said Kennebeck . " W hen I became president, I took t his on as a project for t he club to raise enough f unds to renovate t hat house." Kennebeck added t hat t hey have basically rebuilt t he ent ire out side of t he house, which now boast s a new roof, new siding , paint ing and new f ront and back porches. The Woman's Club would event ually like to lease t he house to a law f irm or a rest aurant so t hey w ill have a mont hly income f rom t hat proper t y. The club's main goal is to renovate t he ex terior of t he Sandford House because it needs a lot of work . " We don't get any money f rom t he st ate or local government at all," said Kennebeck . " We have a couple of small grant s we get each year and t he rest is dues and donat ions." Ticket s for t he Christ mas homes tour are $15 and can be purchased at The Pilgrim in West wood Shopping Center, t he Woman's Club at Herit age Square, Bell's Seed Store, Cit y Center Galler y and Book s, High Cot ton Consignment, J. Co. Salon & Blo' Dr y Bar and t he feat ured homes on t he tour. " We look for ward to a huge t urn out for our tour of homes t his holiday season because t his year is going to be absolutely fabulous," said Kennebeck . For more informat ion about t he tour or ot her upcoming event s, v isit w w w.womansclubfay.org or call 705-7338. Holiday Tour of Homes Entertains While Preserving History by DR. SHANESSA FENNER DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910.484.6200. Holiday decor fills homes on the tour..