The 51st edition of Historic Harrisburg Association’s iconic Candlelight House Tour will be presented on Sunday, December 8, showcasing more than 17 spectacular properties such as “Breeze Hill” in Bellevue Park and an array of historic homes in the Capitol District!
Open for touring will be an intriguing array of private residences, architectural landmarks, and stunning contemporary living spaces. Once again, the tour properties will exhibit the broad array of urban lifestyle and living choices currently available to residents and potential residents of Harrisburg.
“Breeze Hill,” the picturesque Victorian mansion that was the longtime home of “City Beautiful” advocate J. Horace McFarland and his family, and magnificently restored by current owners Hilary and Jared Dozier, highlights the cluster of properties being shown this year in the Bellevue Park neighborhood. Nationally renowned landscape designer Warren Manning was enlisted by McFarland to design Bellevue Park, while also providing the master plan for the State Capitol Complex, both outstanding examples of “City Beautiful” urban design.
The City Beautiful movement of the early 20th Century sought to counteract the adverse effects of post-Civil-War industrialization and urban growth. Harrisburg is deemed as a national model of successful City Beautiful design and infrastructure. The abundance of century-old trees that dominate Bellevue Park were heavily damaged by an EF1 tornado on August 9; remarkably, this did not deter the intrepid Bellevue Park homeowners from their participation in this year’s tour.
Other Candlelight House Tour highlights include the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence and the John Harris - Simon Cameron Mansion, home of Harrisburg’s founder, John Harris. A cluster of Uptown properties includes the “North Tower” condominium of former Bellevue Park residents Dr. Steve MacDonald and Mary Warner.
In the Capitol District around State Street, the “front yard of the Capitol,” a large tour cluster includes historic homes, newly remodeled apartments in stately older buildings, and two State Street churches, Historic Grace Church, once the temporary home of the State Legislature, and St. Lawrence Church, both magnificent examples of Gothic architecture. Historic Harrisburg chose to showcase two of the City’s finest Gothic-style churches as attribute to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which reopens after its devastating fire on December 8, the same day as the Candlelight House Tour.
Renowned as one of the oldest and largest house tours in the Eastern United States, after 50 years the Candlelight House Tour has developed a loyal following of visitors from near and far. We have groups that come regularly from Allentown, Scranton, and other metro areas in and out of Pennsylvania.
The centerfold map in the tour guidebooks makes it easy to plan your route. Although the properties are numbered, we encourage people to visit them in random or reverse sequence, and perhaps take a mid-afternoon break at one of the Harrisburg restaurants and coffee shops open during the tour. The full-color tour guide booklet includes a handy directory of businesses serving historic homeowners and others.
Tickets may be ordered online at www.historicharrisburg.org. The “advance” price of $20 (Early bird discounts may apply) is offered through Dec. 7. The Candlelight House Tour Guidebook, which also serves as your ticket, when printed, will be available after Thanksgiving as follows:
Tickets purchased online will be available for pick-up ONLY at the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N 3rd Street (233-4646) by showing your Eventbrite ticket voucher.
Tickets (the guidebooks) will also be available for purchase beginning in December at the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, 1230 N 3rd Street Harrisburg.
Day-of-tour Tickets will be $25 each and will be available beginning at 12 Noon at the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center.
More information may be sought at info@historicharrisburg.org or 717.233.4646 or on the web at www.historicharrisburg.org
