The first "Storybook Christmas Home Tour" was on December 8, 1985 as a method to raise funds to have a historical district survey performed on the Story neighborhood. Grants from the State Historic Preservation Office ($15,000) and the City of Phoenix ($7,500) helped to garner the nomination of F.Q. Story to the national and city historic registers.
A smash success by any measure, Story Preservation Association's first Storybook Christmas Home Tour and Arts Fair netted nearly $1,600 for the neighborhood. The Dec. 8 event attracted approximately 750 attendees.
Eleven homes on Lynwood and Willetta streets were open to the public for the day and all were beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. Each house boasted its own special architecture, style and charm and each was chosen as someone's favorite home on the tour.
Crafters filled the 900 block of Lynwood, providing a vivid display of colorful Christmas crafts and other items.
Carolers added a special holiday touch as did a horse-drawn carriage and a trolley. Even Santa Claus found time to join in the festivities.
Many thanks go out to all those who attended our first Home Tour. Thanks, also, to the many volunteers who cleaned streets, caroled, acted as hosts, sold tickets and refreshments, and baked cookies. We couldn't have done it without you.
Special thanks go to the Home Tour committee and to the home owners who graciously opened their homes to raise funds for the preservation of our historic neighborhood.
Next year's tour will feature homes on Culver and Moreland. You'll be hearing more about that in the months to come.
Click on a year to see some of the homes on tour for that year, then click the image to see a larger view.
