Thursday, March 28, 2024

Johnson County HCE Christmas Home Tour On Sunday

GG29-Ed_Jones-HomeTours-03Once again, the Johnson County Home and Community Education of the University of Illinois Extension, will be sponsoring the Johnson County Christmas Tour of Homes.

On Sunday, December 15, 1 to 4 p.m., the four homes, a business and a church will open their doors to visitors, who will view an array of Christmas décor.

Prior to the home tour, a soup and sandwich lunch will be available, 12 to 1:30 p.m., at the Community of Christ Church on Tunnel Hill Road. Dessert and beverage will also be included for $3 for children and $5 for adults.

Tickets and tour maps will be available at the church for $7. These can also be purchased from HCE members or from Teapot Cottage in Goreville, prior to Sunday.

Two of the homes are located near the church, on Webb Town Road. The contemporary home of Jean Webb Phillips will be open, showing her collection of snowmen and Santas, throughout the home. The dining room table will feature Longaberger dishes and baskets. Jean is a county native, who, after a career in education in North Carolina, returned to Johnson County and built a home in 2010.

The traditional home of Pam and Ric Reuscher will feature eight rooms filled with Christmas décor. Everything from the furniture to the wall decals and accessories have all been given a much-needed upgrade so they can fit in with this particular holiday theme. As a former teacher and administrator, Pam has many holiday items that were gifts from her students that will be displayed. She also has a Gone With the Wind collection. Visitors will also want to take a look at the exterior of the Reuscher’s vintage barn that was restored by their Amish neighbors.

Joyce and Dave Frederick will be showing their home on Rebman Lane, south of Goreville, just west of route 37. The A-frame structure is the retirement home of the couple who moved there several years ago from Northern Illinois. The home has been expanded and remodeled entirely. Note the exterior of the house – outdoor gooseneck lighting makes a big difference to the house’s aesthetics in the evening. There will be five downstairs rooms open to guests, with six Christmas trees decorated for the season. Joyce also has a doll collection to show. The entire dining room has been emptied of furniture, in order to make room for Dave’s miniature village, boasting of over 1000 pieces. There are some 200 homes, a complete village, an Amish community, complete with people, vehicles and landscaping. Some of the vintage pieces were given him by his dad. Dave said this will be the last year that he will display the entire village, which takes several days to do.

Teapot Cottage, hosted by owner Dixie Terry, is located on Sidney Lane on the west side of Goreville. The tearoom only will be open and decorated for the season, with a gingerbread-decorated tree, Christmas teapots, and lots of candles. Punch and goodies will be served.

Goreville’s newest business, the office of Edward Jones, is located on Broadway Street in the downtown, and will be open to guests, The historic two-story Queen Anne brick home was built for the William Terry family in 1903. It has also served as a location for several businesses, including the Goreville Telephone Company, owned by the Terry family when they lived there. Kelly Venable, financial advisor, will be greeting visitors to the new business, which will be decorated for the season.

The Goreville Baptist Church, located on West Main Street, will also be decorated in Christmas finery of red and green, where guests will be welcomed.

Each year, the tour is provided in a different area of the county. The contact numbers are Faye Mize at 695-2430 or Phyllis Webb at 995-2297. Anyone wishing to include their home in 2014 can contact these board members.

The public is urged to participate in the lunch and home tour, which serves as a fundraiser for the many community projects, in which the HCE is involved.

The board wishes to thank all those who will open their homes, business and the church, to guests on the Christmas tour, and for those who arrive to view the outstanding holiday decorations.