Conference Closeup: See Historic Arts & Crafts Homes During Special House Tour

by Kate Nixon

 

The city of Asheville has always contained an Arts and Crafts legacy as the location of the historic Grove Park Inn and its surrounding neighborhoods which hold their own Arts and Crafts magic. Asheville’s own Preservation Society and Asheville home owners have helped to keep the legacy in tact by tactics of restoration and preservation of the houses’ historical significance to the area. In February 2020, attendees and collectors coming to the conference can experience that Arts and Crafts restored magic in a special tour.

The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County is pleased to offer their annual selection of historic homes for this year’s Arts & Crafts Conference house tour. All homes are located in National Register-listed Norwood Park, a Grove Park Inn-adjacent neighborhood that offers an eclectic mix of houses mostly built between 1912 and the 1930s that have experienced a resurgence of interest and have been restored by their owners.

According to the Preservation Society, the homes listed to be toured in the Norwood Park area include: 108 Norwood Avenue (the H. L. Parker House), 110 Norwood Avenue (the I. D. Lyda House), 61 Woodward Avenue and 2 Woodley Avenue. The tour will include on-bus guides who will point out key buildings in Asheville’s architectural history, as well as docents to answer questions in the homes to be toured. Participants should be able to walk up to three city blocks and negotiate stairs and public walkways.

 

 

 

Advance reservations are required, since seating is limited. Spaces were filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the tour is $35 per person. All proceeds go to the Preservation Society to fund their efforts to protect and preserve Asheville and Buncombe County’s architectural heritage.

In order to register for the event, those interested can register by doing the following:

• Attendees who registered for the National Arts and Crafts Conference will receive their attendee packets this week.** Enclosed in the packet is a form for the historic house tour with a tear-off portion to mail to the Preservation Society along with payment.
• In the last week of 2019, the National Arts and Crafts Conference will post a PDF copy of the attendee packet to their website, which will include the registration form. You can download the PDF packet and find the form within the file. You can go to the website HERE.
• An online link for registration will be available in January 2020 for those who would like to register online. See the website listed down below for details.

In February at the National Arts and Crafts Conference, if you would like to check on the availability of seats on either tour and to confirm your registration, you can stop by the Preservation Society’s information table near the Arts & Crafts Registration Desk in the Sammons Wing. Tickets will be held for pickup at the Society’s tour table. Please pickup reserved tickets at least thirty minutes before your scheduled tour.

It is recommended to dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes — walking may be required between the bus and each stop.

For updates on the historic house tour or for local residents to register to be a docent, please see the link below of the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County’s website at:

** The Attendee Packet for the National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn are being mailed out this week, the week of December 23rd. Registered attendees should receive their packets starting this week and next week. If have registered for the conference and you do not see a packet by January 3rd, please call the office of the National Arts and Crafts Conference at (828) 628-1915 so we can send you your packet and name badge form.