I am a shameless lover of home tours….ESPECIALLY historic homes! There’s something about a historic home…..a place where so many others before have found comfort and laid their head each night. A place where those before us have lived, died, laughed, cried, celebrated and mourned…all while leaving their own unique stamp on the home. From the very personal touches like the pencil-written children’s height chart on the door jam, to eccentric DIY projects like a half bath floor tiled exclusively with pennies, each historic home holds souvenirs from past occupants. I so admire homeowners who preserve those souvenirs and celebrate them with their visitors. It’s these stories that remind us of the past, and others who shared the same four walls before us.

I experienced my first home tour during a family girl’s weekend in Boston in 2007.  Sixteen of my family members from all over the country came together to re-connect, enjoy each other’s company and walk, tour, taste, sip and experience as much of Boston as possible.  One such event was a historic home tour of South Boston.  As we walked through the beautiful neighborhood, all bundled up from the cold, we felt an immediate sense of warmth each time we stepped into one of the homes on the tour.  The stories the tour volunteers and homeowners told us about the homes, their history, what wars/human/natural disasters they had withstood, the unique people that had occupied the homes, and to see their exquisite beauty, was so memorable!  I remember feeling the warmth, comfort, and character just exuding from these homes.  Each home was more unique than the next!