Decking Historic Halls
The Annual Savannah Holiday Tour of Homes 2022 is a unique event you don’t want to miss!
Every year in December, the Savannah’s Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) holds its
Annual Holiday Tour of Homes and Spring Tour of Homes.
To celebrate this unique heritage and raise money for the continued preservation and enhancement of the community.
The Annual Holiday Tour of Homes is a self-guided walking tour where guests
can walk through selected private residences and buildings.
They all are located in Savannah’s Historic Landmark District.
Each home varies in size, style, and period.
Visitors can walk, drive or ride on the Old Town Trolley to each of the homes in the order they choose.
Everyone who buys a ticket to the tour receives a Tour Card.
A list of the address and an official Guidebook.
Complete with information on each home and a map of the route.
Talk about Decking the Halls!
You can’t imagine how much time, effort, and MONEY goes into decorating these homes for the Holidays.
Every inch is adorned with Holiday Cheer and cute surprises around every corner.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association
The DNA was organized in the 1970s.
From downtown residents who wanted to protect and preserve Savannah’s Architectural Heritage.
Also enhancing the quality of life for residents in the Historic Landmark District.
The Historic Landmark District is a two-mile square foot section of Savannah.
That boasts thousands of incredible homes and architecturally significant buildings rich in Southern Tradition and Heritage.
Despite centuries of war, demolition, and deterioration.
General Oglethorpe’s Innovative City Plan has survived to become a thriving travel destination
visited by millions of people each year.
As a matter of fact, Savannah has beaten out cities such as Charleston, SC, Boston, MA,
and New York City. NY, for the Travel + Leisure Award for Best Architecture and Cool Buildings.
Therefore, it is no surprise. Those residents take such pride in preserving the elements
that make the Hostess City such a great place to live and visit.
Explore historic homes a special Tour of Inns
The Annual Holiday Tour of homes also features another special Tour of Inns.
Which takes place on the Sunday after the Tour of Homes.
One of the great Inns in the 39th Annual Holiday Tour was the Catherine Ward House Inn.
It is located just three blocks up the street from one of our Savannah vacation rentals.
You walk up the steps to the Lovely Victorian Style Home. Where you are greeted by the Inn’s Owner, Leslie Larson.
Who welcomes you with a smile and an “of course you can come in and take a look.”
You enter the Inn’s Front Parlor, which is decorated so beautifully that it reminds you of a Christmas Card.
History of the Catherine Ward House
The rich history of the Catherine Ward House starts with it being built-in 1886.
From Captain James Ward for his second wife, Catherine.
They lived in the home together until James’ death in 1891, and Catherine
continued to live in the house until she eventually passed in 1929.
The house was sold many more times over the years and was eventually turned into rental units in the early 1960s.
In the 1980s, a young man named Jim Williams
(who you might remember from a little book called “The Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”)
took an interest in preserving this impressive building.
And in 1983, he encouraged the Historic Savannah Foundation to purchase the house.
The Foundation renovated the home, which was complete in 1986.
The home was purchased from the Foundation in 1998 and underwent yet another massive renovation
to transform its rooms into a Romantic Bed & Breakfast Inn.
Leslie purchased the Inn in 2005 and has lived there ever since.
***Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Trivia –
one of the last scenes in the movie is a shot of E. Waldburg Street and the Catherine Ward House; how COOL!
If you missed the Annual Holiday Tour of Homes, don’t worry, the Downtown Neighborhood Association
will be holding its Spring Tour of Homes in March.
For more information, visit the DNA Website.
If you are ever in the neighborhood, stop by the Catherine Ward House Inn to see Leslie and Sonja.
They might give you the VIP treatment when you say you are coming from
Savannah Dream Vacations right down the street!
