Holiday tours return home

The annual Homes for the Holidays tour and Moonlight and Mistletoe is returning for it's 30th year.

The Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County, Inc., announces the plans the annual event which will held Dec. 4-6 with the Moonlight and Mistletoe, the special Friday evening tour running from 6 to 8 p.m.

Moonlight and Mistletoe will feature the home of Debbie and Jeff McCoy at 510 South Eddy. The theme is "A Work in Progress." This 1888 home will give attendees a view of the home's restoration. In addition, there will be holiday beverages and a light buffet of savory and sweet items.

This year's homes and church included in the tour are: the late nineteenth century Goldston home at 1201 Burke St.; the McFarlin-Pitts home at 315 S. Holbrook St.; Don Miller's turn-of-the-century home at 924 S. Judson St.; and the First Presbyterian Church at 308 S. Crawford St.

The Goldston home is themed "Something Old, Something New." This stop on the tour displays an old home with a new look which has been adapted to suit the life of a family with four active sons.

The McFarlin-Pitts 1895 home is themed "The Parsonage." This stop was once the parsonage for the Methodist-Episcopal Church. Cynthia McFarlin and Jim Pitts display classic style with modern style to provide a backdrop for their eclectic artwork and holiday décor.

Miller's home is themed "A Collector's Christmas." Over one hundred Byer's Choice carolers will be on display in different scenes throughout the house along with numerous hand-made nativity scenes.

The fourth site on the tour is the First Presbyterian Church which is themed "Tapestry Tower." This church built in 1925 will be decorated with sparkling silver and white ornaments and host a salad luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The luncheon is hosted by the congregation in celebration of the church's 150th anniversary. The charge for the luncheon is $6 per person.

In addition to the tours, the Stocking Stuffer, bake sale, and barbecue will be at Arnold Arena, on the Campus of Fort Scott Community College, on Saturday and Sunday with free admission. The holiday celebration extends to the downtown area as the Scottish Rite Temple will once again be on the tour.

A special event will be held at Fort Scott National Historic Site from 1-3 p.m., Saturday. Ladies and gentlemen of the garrison will demonstrate steps to favorite dances of the Victorian era. For more information, contact the park at 620-223-0310.

In addition to being an important part of the holiday season in Fort Scott for the past thirty years, the Homes for the Holidays tour has been the major fundraiser for HPA. The funds have helped to maintain and beautify the Old Congregational Church. Recently, HPA has worked in partnership with the City of Fort Scott to provide grants for the restoration of seven downtown buildings. These projects fulfill the organization's mission of saving historic buildings in Fort Scott and the surrounding area.

The tickets for Moonlight and Mistletoe are $20 and are limited to 100 guests. The tickets include a tour of all stops on the tour as well and must be purchased by Dec. 1. Tickets for the tour on Saturday or Sunday are $10. Tickets for both events will be available by the end of next week at County Cupboard, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lyons Mansion.

Look in future editions of The Tribune for more details on the homes and the tour.