The Town Improvement Society of Buchanan will hold its annual Christmas Home Tour on Sunday, December 10 from 1 to 5 p.m. Four homes in the Buchanan area, decorated for Christmas, will be open to the public. Visitors may end their tour with holiday refreshments at the historic Community House in Buchanan. Tickets are $20 per person and are available at any home on the tour or in advance at Austin Electrical Construction, 17566 Main Street, Buchanan.
Homes on the tour are:
Stable Hill – Kathy and Terry Austin
17215 Lee Highway, Buchanan
The Georgian Colonial home was built in 2009 with 15 rooms and is certified energy efficient, built to Earth Craft standards. Visitors will, in particular, notice the unique crotched mahogany kitchen cabinets and stone fireplaces. A New Market corner cabinet graces the home’s interior and was built for the Stevens family in 1780 and to this day is owned by direct descendants of the original owner. Among the beautiful Christmas decorations is an antique sled that was purchased by Delegate Terry Austin. The home is situated on 100 acres. During Hunter’s Raid in the Civil War, soldiers stabled their horses in the depression near the creek. That is how the property came to be known as “Stable Hill.” Townspeople gathered there to hide their silver and possessions in caves on the property to keep soldiers from pilfering their possessions.
The Home of Juanita and Steve Grigg
19505 Main Street, Buchanan
The brick home that stands now was built in 1934 on the foundation of a home built in 1880. It has 10 rooms with original oak floors as well as some original kitchen cabinets. Visitors to the home will enjoy the Griggs’ collection of Santas found throughout the home that they have been collecting for 47 years. The Griggs have done extensive landscaping and restored the root cellar that was part of the 1880 home. The large stone that acts as a step to the front porch was leftover from construction of the bridge over the James River.
The Home of Kathy Witkowski and Chris Carr
12306 Lee Highway, Buchanan
The home was built in 1881 and is a blend of Farmhouse and Victorian. The home is also an AirBnB (Bed & Breakfast) called “The Friendly Folks’ Farmhouse.” It is located on 10 acres. There are 10 rooms. An addition, built in 1900, housed tenement farmers and the outdoor stairway they used remains. Visitors will find the home full of antiques. Featured in the home are numerous Christmas trees, each with a unique theme.
The Home of Debbie and Larry Locke
544 Pico Road, Buchanan
The home was built in 2005. The architectural style is “Farmhouse” with spacious, traditional design elements throughout. With 15 rooms overall, the home has three levels. The home sits on 56 acres with spectacular mountain views and plenty of room for the Locke’s five horses. Visitors are invited to enjoy the couple’s numerous Department 56 Christmas Homes as well as their Virginia Tech Hokie-themed Christmas tree.
Photos courtesy of Town Improvement Society of Buchanan
Final stop, the Community House
421 Lowe Street, Buchanan
Included in the tour admission price, after touring, visitors are invited to the Community House for holiday refreshments and to enjoy the Christmas decorations and elegance of this historic building which was constructed in 1839 as a combined store, warehouse and private residence. All of the rooms retain their original woodwork, floors, fireplaces and mantels.
