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106 N. Strawberry St.: Built in 1900, this house is one of the oldest existing wood frame dwellings in the Fan District.
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2027 Hanover Ave: Built in 1912, the Colonial Revival home is packed with personality and style; a whimsical mural adorns its Rowland Street side.
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2325 Monument Ave.: The grand Italian Renaissance-style residence was designed by popular Richmond architect W. Duncan Lee in 1915 and served as the 2023 Richmond Symphony League Designer House.
One of my favorite things about the festive season in Richmond: the chance to step inside some of the most beautiful homes in the city decorated for Christmas during the Fan District Association’s annual Holiday House Tour, this year on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15, from noon to 5 p.m. each day.
The 62nd edition of the walking tour includes eight properties in the Fan Area Historic District, seven of which are open to the public for the first time. The neighborhood, developed largely between 1890 and 1930, is a charming mix of architectural styles such as Queen Anne, Italianate, Tudor Revival, Federal and others that are particularly beautiful when collectively dressed for the holiday season.
Stroll from place to place or grab a free ride on a tuk-tuk — from one of four stops along the way between noon and 4 p.m. — from the Fan District headquarters on Strawberry Street to visit private homes on Monument, Park, Hanover and Floyd avenues and Strawberry Street, as well as Binford Middle School, designed in the Gothic Revival style by Richmond star architect Charles Robinson in 1914.
Good to know: Dress warmly and wear your walking shoes — some sidewalks along the tour route are uneven. Many of the houses are over 100 years old and thus not accessible for those with mobility restrictions. Tickets are $45 per person online and $60 per person the weekend of the tour. For more information and tickets, visit fandistrict.org.
