NEWBERRY — One of Newberry’s annual Christmas traditions is the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce’s Tour of Homes. This year’s tour is this Saturday, and will include four homes, all over 100 years old, and a wine and cheese reception at Uptown Pour.
“This is my seventh Christmas Tour that we’ve managed here. We started in 2012, we took it over from the Opera Guild, and we’ve been running it ever since,” said Liz MacDonald, Chamber administrator. “This year is a really good one.”
This year will be a bit different, typically MacDonald has a church on the tour, but she decided to change it up.
“We will probably go back and have a church next year, but we are trying something different this year. The houses are all large homes, and it will take a while to go through them,” she said.
So let’s get to the houses. The following information was provided by the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce.
The Summer House – home of Tamera Tootle
The Summer House, a Greek Revival home, was originally owned by John Harrison “Hack” Summer, this is a C.C. “Cam” Davis built home. The Summer House is a Neoclassical residence designed in 1895 by one of Hack’s six children, 16-year-old Earnest Summers.
During your visit to The Summer House, you will be able to enjoy “Winter at the Summer Home” as you enter the front from Main Street and onto expansive wrap-around porches. Porticoes are pedimented with lunettes and supported by paired, ionic columns and more than a dozen ionic columnettes on the inner porch. The entablature encircling the house features a boxed cornice and plain frieze.
The Summer-Chapman House – home of Agnes and George Routon
The Summer-Chapman House was built in the mid 1800s, it features 13-foot ceilings with the original bead board. Candle chandeliers adorn the formal dining room and beautiful kitchen. Upstairs, the original heart pine floors are still present. A beautiful library is to the left of the parlor which features a player baby grand piano. The kitchen features mahogany cabinets to complement the period of the home.
It is likely that the Summer-Chapman House predates the Civil War.
An additional treat for visitors will be miniature houses, built by Agnes Routon, will be on full display.
The Wright-Turner House – home of Jennie and David DuBose
The Wright-Turner House was built by Haskell Wright in the early 1900’s. He sold it in 1937 to W.E. Turner, who added two bedrooms and a bath on the rear of the house in the 1950’s. The Turners sold the house to David and Jennie DuBose in 1983. The DuBoses completed another addition by extending one of the bedrooms to accommodate a kitchen and sunroom. This beautiful home is decorated in the Traditional style.
The McCaughrin House – home of Judy Boles
The McCaughrin House was built after the Civil War by Robert McCaughrin, the president of the Bank of Newberry. The house was originally located on Main Street, but was moved to Crenshaw Street in the 1930’s. The kitchen and bathrooms were added to the bank of the house after it was moved. The back porch became the kitchen.
The house remained in the McCaughrin Family until the 1950’s when it was purchased by the Coleman Family.
It is a traditional four square footprint, four equal size rooms on the first and second floors with a front to back center hall. The first floor staircase was rebuilt in the 1930’s, but the stairs to the third floor are the original.
A collection of English flow-blue china is displayed throughout the house.
All four homes are in walking distance of each other. MacDonald suggests visitors park at Family Video and just walk to the houses.
“I’m excited for Newberry and the people from the state, we have people come from all over. It is good publicity for Newberry, brings people into town that haven’t been here before, it is a good introduction,” MacDonald said. “Since I’ve been doing it for seven years I’ve had really good responses from homeowners in Newberry, opening their homes, which you don’t have everywhere.”
This year, the wine and cheese reception at Uptown Pour will be from 4-8 p.m., during the entire tour. MacDonald said there will be music from Munson Summer during the reception.
“Newberry County has beautiful homes, and this tour is the perfect chance to see some of the architectural history to be found here,” said Michelle Long, executive director of the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce.
If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, at the cost of $30, you can call the Chamber at (803) 276-4274 or stop by the Welcome Center at 1209 Caldwell Street, Newberry. Tickets can also be purchased at the Newberry Opera House by calling 803-276-6264, or stopping by at 1201 McKibben Street, Newberry.