535 Fountain N.E. Meet the 1886 matriarch of the family, dressed in all her finery of spindles and gables and gingerbread, all p /Courtesy of the Heritage Hill Association
19 Lafayette N.E. This 1894 Queen Anne is the elder statesman and has a grand view of the city below. /Courtesy of the Heritage Hill Association
532 Prospect S.E Someone in every family has to keep order in the clan, and this classic Tudor Revival Style home is just the on /Courtesy of the Heritage Hill Association
Every family is a collection of unique individuals, each with their own story to tell. The homes in Heritage Hill are like a family, and whether grand or small, showy or simple, centenarians or new kids on the block, they win the hearts of the people who take the time to appreciate their inner (and outer) beauty.
The 47th annual Heritage Hill Weekend Tour of Homes showcases 11 members of its family (eight private homes and 3 historic public buildings) on Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 22 from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.. The houses on tour this year are a familial mix of traditionalists and free-thinkers, old-timers and newborns, warm hearts and cool cats, extroverts and humble souls. Eleven of the most interesting characters in the Hill are inviting you over for a visit this May, and they will be dressed in their finest for the occasion. You can expect a warm welcome, enlightening conversation, and of course, a grand tour.
Take the grand tour of century-old homes built for the elite of Grand Rapids such as the 1886 Queen Anne for the Davis family of the Stow & Davis Furniture Co.; a 1916 Georgian Manor that hosts 7 bedrooms, 7 baths and five fireplaces; a 1912 Tudor Revival with a sweeping view of the city, and two homes that showcase how new construction weaves into a historic fabric.
Three public buildings are featured including the meticulously restored Frank Lloyd Wright designed Meyer May House and The Calkins Law Office, a gleaming white 1836 Greek Revival building that is the oldest surviving structure in the city.
“Tour is like Christmas in Heritage Hill,” says Tour organizer, Karen Coy. Karen and her husband Scott were so swept away with the Tour spirit that they bought a Heritage Hill house on Tour weekend and moved here from Chicago. Advance tickets are $15.00 and are available at the Heritage Hill Association office or at the website.
Advance tickets are also available at area Spartan Stores, Lake Michigan Credit Union branches, Martha’s Vineyard, Art of the Table and Wealthy Street Bakery. Tickets on the weekend of the tour are $20.00 and are sold only at GRCC DeVos Campus, 435 East Fulton. Free shuttle bus transportation for the tour is provided between featured properties.
More informations on the complete line-up of the Heritage Hill All in the Family Tour here.
The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the community’s support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.
We need your help.
If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.
Please support The Rapidian and make a contribution today.
