The Georgetown House Tour: April 25th, 2009
No Comments »From the time my parents moved to the Metro area in 1998 to the time they left a few years ago, my mother always said if she had her pick of where to live within the District, she would have loved to resided in Georgetown. While I personally don’t live there, I do happen to spend a heck of a lot of time there patronizing restaurants, shops, bars, and nail places pretty much everyday/night. As much as there is to do within those historic blocks, however, you don’t actually have to spend any cash in order to truly appreciate Georgetown. You can just walk up and down the streets within the neighborhood and get a real sense of history, architectural beauty, and appreciation for this treasured part of town.
Lucky for us, it’s about the time of year where you can do just that but with a charitable component. The Annual Historic Georgetown House Tour is set for April 25th this year and will include 11 homes to be personally viewed inside and out within the heart of Georgetown. This event has been a tradition for over 90 years. One special highlight of this year’s tour includes the 2nd Annual DC Design House, which will transform St. John’s Rectory as a showcase for some of the region’s top architects and interior designers.
Last year, over 1,900 people came out to participate in the tour. This year will certainly be no different. The 11 chosen homes, which are considered among Georgetown’s finest historic, have been carefully renovated, balancing the need to accommodate modern lifestyles while maintaining the unique heritage of each home.
The Georgetown House Tour and events benefit the many ministries of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is in its third century of service to the greater Washington community. The centrally located church was completed in 1804 with seed money from Thomas Jefferson and truly is an architectural jewel in its own right. Tours of the church and grounds will be held on Tour Day.
The Rectory of St. John’s Church is a three-story Victorian mansion, with center hall, staircase, handsome reception and dining rooms, 12’ high ceilings, mansard roof and nine bedrooms. Built in 1874-1875 at a cost of a mere $12,000, the Rectory remains a distinct example of period architecture. DC Design House decorators will transform the first and second floors. For your viewing pleasure, the Rectory will be open on Tour Day, April 25th [as part of the ticket price] and also from Saturday, April 18, 2009 through Sunday, May 10, 2009 except holidays [tickets purchased separately].
All Georgetown House Tour events are open to the public. Admission to the House Tour is a $45 donation ($40 in advance) and includes admission to all houses on the Tour [including the Rectory] and to an annual tea hosted by St. John’s on the church grounds. Admission to the Patron’s Party is a separate donation of $150 and includes admission to the tour and tea.
For additional information about tickets for The Georgetown House Tour 2009 and the reception, please call 202-944-5296 or visit www.georgetownhousetour.com.
For more information about tickets for the Patron’s Party, contact the church or Frida Burling at fridafro@aol.com.
We will give you a few enticing “sneak previews” of some of the homes in an upcoming post to whet your inner designer’s appetite.
