old house tour bloomington il

Fundraising/Not for Profit Old House Society’s Annual House Tour

On behalf of the Old House Society, we would like to invite you to our 2015 Annual House Tour.   This is a great opportunity to view some unique homes featured on Bloomington’s Grove Street and nearby neighborhoods.   More details and ticket information will follow.

Saturday, June 13, 2015 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Grove Street and surrounding neighborhood Grove Street Bloomington Illinois (309) 820-0548 http://www.oldhousesociety.org/

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Old House Society

Architectural Salvage ~ Preservation ~

Community Education and Support

You are invited to a talk by Bill Kemp of the McLean County Museum of History

November 16, 2023, 6 pm

Oakland Grade School

Internationalism and the Twin Cities: The Work of Architect A. Richard Williams 

Raised in Bloomington-Normal, A. Richard “Dick” Williams (1914-2016) was a longtime professor at the University of Illinois’ School of Architecture, serving as director of the Graduate Architectural Design Program from 1957 to 1970. His influence as a design architect and teacher carried through the Midwest and beyond. In the 1950s, Williams associated with Bloomington architects Edgar E. Lundeen and Dean F. Hilfinger on a series of local projects, including Oakland School (1951), Wesley Methodist Church (1952), the Baby Fold campus (1950s), Bloomington Federal Savings & Loan (1957), and Bloomington High School (1959). We tend to forget how revolutionary these buildings were at the time. Often underappreciated, these and other International Style-inspired works dotting the built environment of Bloomington-Normal remain exemplars of a striking period in American architecture.    

Our Warehouse at 214 E. Douglas in Bloomington IL is now open Wednesday thru Saturday from 10 until five.

Why become a member of Old House Society? Become a member to support the architecture of McLean County and keep the Salvage Warehouse open!! Your member dues support the warehouse and as a member you will receive information about all OHS events!

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Event by Old House Society

2022 old house society annual tour of homes: gallivant down grove street.

Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (CST) ( Add to calendar )

Gallivant Down Grove Street 1219 East Grove Street Bloomington, Illinois, United States 61701 Get directions »

The Old House Society announces their Annual Tour of Homes. This year’s tour, “Gallivant Down Grove Street” is Saturday, June 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and features homes in and around Bloomington’s historic East Grove Street area. Grove Street, the location of some of the earliest homes in Bloomington, will take you back to the 1850s, when travel was by carriage and horseback and Abraham Lincoln visited our city on the court circuit. Leaders of Bloomington built homes from the native lumber at the edge of Blooming Grove and established the industries that would nurture the local economy and make Bloomington the commercial center of McLean County. Further down Grove Street, in Founders’ Grove, a new residential section grew as the street cars made travel more convenient. A new fashionable neighborhood was built by local architects and professional builders. Take a step back into history and take a peek through the Windows on Grove Street. Tour Tickets go on sale on May 7th at the following locations: • AB Hatchery • Casey’s Garden Shop • The Garlic Press • Schnuck’s • Old House Society Architectural Salvage Warehouse • Online at MemberPlanet.com *** Ticket sales go fast -- get yours early*** Regular Tour Tickets are $20 for general public; $15 for OHS members (Member tickets are available online or at the OHS Architectural Salvage Warehouse).  A limited number of tickets will be sold. *Convenience fee applies to online sales Proceeds from the Tour of Homes are used to fund awards, grants and provide resources within the local community to ease the experience of owning and preserving older homes and buildings. Tour proceeds also support our Architectural Salvage Warehouse located at 214 E. Douglas Street in Bloomington, IL Several beautiful homes around Bloomington's East Grove Street will be featured! The tour is a self-guided tour. You will begin by checking in at the welcome tent at Centennial Christian Church (1219 E Grove St, Bloomington) where you will pick up a brochure and map. Please remember to bring your tickets and we will have a list of individuals who purchased tickets online at the tent during check-in. Avanti's gondolas, chips, and a bottle of water will be available for $5 and we will also have Donny Bs Popcorn! We hope to see you there! *Current OHS members will see the discounted ticket price ($15) when you click on the ticket link when purchasing tickets online.

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Old House Society 214 Douglas St Bloomington, IL, 61702 Quentin Rabideau [email protected]

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• Event: Historic Holiday Mansion Tours
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Historic Holiday Mansion Tours

Starting date: Sun November, 26th

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Attractions and upcoming events, david davis mansion.

This 19th Century mansion was the home of United States Supreme Court Justice, David Davis, mentor to Abraham Lincoln. The mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places , was built in 1872. Several annual Festivals include the Glorious Garden Walk and Mr. Lincoln's Birthday.

Prarie Aviation Museum

Highlights the History of Aviation from the Wright Brothers to Illinois Astronauts. View or take a ride in the restored legendary DC-3 that has assumed a place of honor as one of only seven aircraft listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Miller Park Outdoor Summer Theater

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Site of Major's Hall

A plaque commemorates the building where, on May 29, 1856, at a convention of the Republican Party of Illinois, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech which became known as his "lost speech."

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No neon lights, just stunning homes 'On Broadway' for this year's Old House Society tour

The Old House Society ’s annual home tour takes place this Saturday, a popular sneak peek into the Twin Cities’ oldest residences that returns to Normal after more than a decade in Bloomington.

“We’re glad to be back in Normal,” said Todd Trainer, an Old House Society board member and the group’s foremost “door knocker.”

“All the houses are on Broadway, which is even better because it could be a walking tour.”

Trainer often finds the most successful way to recruit homeowners to opt into a tour is to show up in person.

“You kind of hear what the public wants,” he said. “They want the big, grand, old houses that look cool, and you just can’t wait to see inside. When I’m knocking, I don’t know what’s behind that door. And you wouldn’t believe the people who just say, ‘Come on in.’”

For the first time ever, the tour includes a members-only bonus house.

“Members are very important to our organization,” said board president Quentin Rabideau. Membership benefits include social events and discounts at the architectural salvage warehouse —a key resource to acquiring ephemera needed to restore old homes (or add character to new ones). Members also get discounted tickets to the home tour and bonus house access. New members can join on site Saturday.

“You’re really just part of a community and get to engage with other folks who have very similar interests to yourself,” Rabideau said.

The bonus house is off-Broadway, and the Old House Society is keeping the location a secret until Saturday. But board member Beth Vincent said the home is a must see.

“The bonus house is directly connected to the founding of this neighborhood,” Vincent said.

“The homeowners have done a beautiful job keeping it up to date,” said Trainer.

A difference between museums and tourist attractions like the David Davis Mansion or Ewing Cultural Center is that people live in these homes. The Old House Society has no purity test. You don’t get points off for trading a non-functional potbellied stove for a gas range—many homes on the tour showcase a thoughtful mix of historic preservation and practical modern amenities.

“I think you will see through our tours that the houses that you walk through represent he personalities of the people that live there,” said Rabideau.

While there is a kinship between homeowners who take on old homes, you needn’t own an old home to appreciate them. Vice president Deanna Stockweather used to live in an old home, but no longer does.

“We had kids growing up in the house; it wasn’t big enough for all of us so we moved to a newer home,” she said. “I love old homes still and I don’t want to see these old homes go downhill.”

What the Old House Society most wants people to know is that the Tour of Homes is for everyone .

“It doesn’t matter where you live,” Vincent said. “Anyone who owns an old house knows that they’ve gotten into a money pit—not an affluent situation. That’s what every old house owner says about the flaws in their house: ‘It gives it character.’”

The 2023 Old House Society Tour, “On Broadway,” takes place tomorrow from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tickets are $25. Details about how to get tickets are at oldhousesociety.org .