Bilger House

A Jacksonville tradition returns on May 19 and 20, when the Jacksonville Boosters and Garden Club present their bi-annual Home and Garden Tour. This year six historic homes will be featured on the tour along with several gardens. In addition, a number of Jacksonville’s historic churches and buildings will be open with tours being offered by the various organizations who care for them. This will be a “first time on tour” for a number of the homes featured on this year’s tour. The homes and gardens are as follows:

All of these beautiful photographs are by Jacksonville’s Ron Moore.

 The John Bilger House and Gardens, c1863

The Obenchain House, 1868

Obenchain House

The Kenney House, c1898

The Judge Hanna House, 1868

Peter Britt Gardens, c1852

The William Broad House, c1901

The Smiths’ Woodlands Rhododendron Garden

The William M. Griffen House and Gardens, c1864

Other Historic Properties open for tours are as follows:

The Beekman House, 1876 and Arboretum (on Saturday, May 19th only)

The First Presbyterian Church, 1881 (on Saturday, May 19th only)

St. Andrews Methodist-Episcopal Church, 1854

 St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 1858

St. Joseph’s Catholic Rectory, c1868

Kenney House

The Masonic Building, Warren Lodge No.10 c1874

The tour dates are Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m. on both days. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 1 at the Jacksonville Visitor and Information Center located next to the Post Office and will be sold at that location through Sunday, May 20. Tickets will also be available on the days of the tours at the John Bilger House, one of the featured homes and located on Blackstone Alley. The cost is $14.50 (please no one under the age of 12) which includes entrance to all the historic homes and gardens. Since there is so much to see and do, tickets purchased may be used on both days however, we request that only one visit be made to each of the homes and gardens. The tour may be started at any one of the locations noted on the tour program and ticket. All proceeds from the tours are used for various community projects and organizations that the Boosters support such as the Jacksonville Elementary School Music Program, Food and Friends, (Senior Nutrition Project)  Peter Britt Gardens restoration project, and Victorian Christmas to name a few.

Hanna House

While there is no charge to tour the other Historic Properties open for tours on May 19 and May 20, donations are always appreciated and help these organizations with up keep of these historic treasures. Please refer any questions regarding donations to the Docents at these locations.

The Jacksonville Heritage Society, who maintains the Beekman House, will also be offering plants for sale during their open house on May 19 only.

The Jacksonville Garden Club will be offering refreshments and a place to sit and take a break in the Peter Britt Gardens. Docents from the Jacksonville Boosters Club will speak about the project currently under way to restore the gardens to provide a verdant and peaceful reminder of an important part of Jacksonville’s past for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Be sure to stop by, have something to drink and eat, and hear about this wonderful and exciting project.

Catholic Church

We sincerely thank and appreciate our home and garden owners for making their properties available to us for this year’s tour. These historic homes and buildings are one of the things that make Jacksonville the special place that it is and we look forward to sharing these special homes with our visitors.

Dirk J. Siedlecki
Terri Gieg
Co Chairs Home and Garden Tour
Susan Casaleggio – President Jacksonville Garden Club