In the fall, EPNIA puts on a Historic Homes Tour to highlight a sample of the houses in the neighborhood that are unique, both due to their architecture and their history. Most of the homes date back to the turn of the century, and some even to Abraham Lincoln’s time. A typical home tour features beautifully renovated homes, many of which have been identified as potential candidates for the National Register of Historic Sites and/or Springfield Landmark homes. The tours also includes distressed properties owned by our land bank, Enos Park Development, that are available for purchase at nominal cost to buyers who will commit to renovating them according to our design standards.
Some houses that started out as distressed properties on the tour end up being on the tour again several years later once they’re renovated – it’s a great way to see the “before” and “after” as well as the “in progress”!
The Home Tour is generally held the third Saturday of September to coincide with the weekend of the Edwards Place Fine Arts Fair. A wine and cheese reception is held in the sculpture garden immediately following the tour.
If you are interested in having your home featured on a future tour, contact Linda Maier at 217-971-9138. If your business would like to advertise in the tour program and/or be a site for pre-event ticket sales, contact Michelle Ownbey at 217-553-4629.