This weekend, architectural enthusiasts will get a unique glimpse into Austin's history through Preservation Austin's 2024 Homes Tour. Scheduled for April 20 and 21 from 10 am to 5 pm, the tour showcases ten homes that span over a century of architectural styles, ranging from early log cabins to sleek mid-century designs.
Austin's solitary architectural excursion, as CBS Austin reports, offers a deep dive into the ingenuity behind the city's historical homes and their modern relevance, all neatly packed into a two-day event that starts with five homes on Saturday followed by another five on Sunday; it's a blend of viewing pleasure and educational enrichment that's had over 30 years of success.
Tickets to the infamously intriguing tour are available on the Preservation Austin website, with all proceeds going into the nonprofit's efforts to advocate for historical conservation and provide educational programs. Besides the Homes Tour, they're raising the stakes with VIP access that includes a soiree at the iconic Southwind—the former residence and studio of the Austin artist Seymour Fogel. This apart, a community-wide Homes Tour Block Party shedding light on the historically significant Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District will be free to all, a reflection of the social fabric and the Black experience in postwar Austin.
"Our tour blends architecture, history, and culture in such a unique way. It’s such a fun weekend that we look forward to every year," Lindsey Derrington, Executive Director of Preservation Austin, said in a statement procured by KXAN adding that, what better way there is to rummage through Austin's history while enjoying diversity, striking interiors with kith and kin as well as fellow buffs of architecture?
Among the homes featured is the so-dubbed "Mabel Davis House," an American Colonial Revival style abode noted for "weeping" mortar joints and a history tied to a renowned Austin civic leader, and another, a Cantilevered mid-century gem on Balcones Drive, that was saved from demolition by a preservation-oriented couple, it felt like nature was reclaimed when the current owners decided to restore instead of replace the existing structures given the house's distinct mid-century modern characteristics and significant architectural contributions.
The tour not only offers visual splendor but also tells important stories of the city's past, exemplified by the Calhoun family residence in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District, illustrating the Black middle class's journey against the backdrop of a segregated Austin.
