TOUR HISTORIC HOMES

Fort Wayne’s organization for architecture and community heritage-announces that several magnificent homes in the Foster Park area will be open to the public for a historic homes tour on June 15, 2002, from noon to 5pm. The Southwood Park Neighborhood Association and ARCH are organizing this tour, and tour proceeds will benefit the landscaping of the new Traffic Circle at Old Mill Road and Westover Road, as well as ARCH’s ongoing education and advocacy programs for historic preservation.

The featured homes are located on Old Mill Road, Westover Road, Sunset Drive, Lexington Avenue, and Pembroke Lane. A gently rolling, largely wooded area, Southwood Park is noted for its curving streets, and high quality homes built during that glorious era between the wars. Styles range from Colonial Revival to Tudor, to Spanish Eclectic. Two gardens will be open for tour as well.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 the day of the tour. Advance tickets can be purchased at Baxter’s on Broadway and Nature’s Corner Antique Mall. Day of tour tickets can be purchased in the south parking lot of Taylor University. Trolley service, brochures, and additional tickets will be found at this location.

As a unique treat, The Southwood Park tour will also feature classic automobiles on display at two of the homes.

Participants for this years’ tour include:

1233 Sunset Drive-ClarAnn Bengs

Frank R. and Jennie McKay home. C. 1936 Colonial Revival. Mr. McKay was the purchasing agent for the Bowser Pump Company. Bowser-located in Fort Wayne-was the first company to manufacture gas pumps, and the phrase “fill ‘er up” was first coined here in the Summit City. In 1938 the McKays sold the home to the Harold Koerber family. Koerber was one of the owners of the Koerber Jewelers store.

4617 Old Mill Road-Jim and Mylien Kruse

Erwin J. and Marceille Trier House, c. 1929. This Tudor Revival home will feature several classic cars owned by the homeowners and their friends. Erwin was a salesman for Fort Wayne Pipe and Supply Company.

4643 Old Mill Road-Chris and Katie Gildea

Edwin J. Graham home, c. 1925 Tudor Revival. The first floor will be open and features a contemporary living space in this historic home. Edwin Graham was a department head at General Electric.

4802 Old Mill Road-Allen and Carol Ward

c. 1950 Ranch home with Colonial Revival details. Built for James and Geraldine Paurice, the owners of Goral Motor Sales, a large local Plymouth and Dodge dealership.

4330 Pembroke Lane-Angie Quinn and Steve Nagy

Joseph Loos house, c. 1927 Spanish Eclectic. Joe Loos was an insurance salesman and built this Spanish Eclectic home for his family. The home was designed by architect Simpson Parkinson, and features a unique pigment-infused polychrome stucco exterior, original to the 1928 construction, and a roof of Spanish tile.

4216 Drury Lane-Kelli Showalter

This c. 1925 American Foursquare home was built for the Raymond Bohn family. It features a pretty backyard garden that is open to the public.

1125 Lexington Avenue-Jason and Erica Steller

This c. 1935 Tudor Revival home has been graciously restored inside, and the owners have recently removed older aluminum siding from the exterior to expose many almost-hidden Tudor revival details.