Poudre Landmarks Foundation’s annual Historic Homes Tour is on Saturday, September 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This late-summer event opens six private residences and two historic city-owned properties to tour guests.
This year we are pleased to include the Northern Colorado Plein Air Painters in the tour. For the first time, area artists will be painting “En Plein Air” at each historic home. Artist will render open-air original artwork of the tour, the homes, and the environment for the duration of the event. These original works and previously created studio and Plein Air paintings will be available for purchase at a special pop-up gallery at the Avery Carriage House, 108 N. Meldrum St., Fort Collins 80521. The gallery and sale will operate from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the day of the tour. Historic Homes Tour Guests are encouraged to attend, but the public and interested buyers and the press need not be ticket holders to do so.
Local artists featured in this collaborative event include Kevin Aldrich, Marilynn Brandenburger, Jenifer Cline, Andrea Gabel, Nelia Harper, Victoria Lisi, and Dewain Stoll. A 2019 calendar of collected art works will also be for sale at each tour stop, and features additional work by local artists Carl Judson and Pam Furumo. Sales of the calendar benefit the non-profit Poudre Landmarks Foundation.
About Plein Air Painting
Plein Air painting dates back centuries, but was popularized by the French Impressionists. To paint “En Plein Air” means to paint outside, capturing the environment as opposed to working in a studio environment. The method is resurging in popularity, and many groups of artists such as the Northern Colorado Plein Air Painters participate in regular “paint outs” such as this one on the Historic Homes Tour.
About the Historic Homes Tour
The 34th Annual Historic Homes Tour is Saturday, September 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This late-summer event opens six private residences and two historic city-owned properties to tour guests. Each private house has been exquisitely maintained by their owners to match the era and architecture of the home, with upgrades to match today’s lifestyle.
This year’s tour showcases Old Town Fort Collins historic homes built between 1879 and 1960. Many styles are represented: Victorian, Craftsman, Cottage, National, and Mid-Century Modern. The city-owned 1879 Avery House and 1883 Water Works are also part of the tour. The Avery House and 2 of the private tour homes are accessible from the Mountain Avenue trolley. Ticket holders ride the trolley for free from 12pm-5pm on the day. Guests visit the homes and travel between tour properties at their own pace and in any order. Knowledgeable docents guide attendees through each location, pointing out architectural features, historical highlights, and details about how each home has been preserved and upgraded over the years.