Holiday Homes Tour of Herndon Showcases Homes from Historic to New

It's that time of year again to purchase tickets for the annual Holiday Homes Tour of Herndon. This year's tour includes:

• The Lohman Home on Dranesville Rd. — This replica 1880s home is a Queen Anne Victorian featuring many period details. The entire house has been painted in National Trust Historic colors. 

• The Sasher Home on Elden St. — This Victorian home was built in 1870 by C. Kitchen. One of the most unique aspects of the home is a maid's quarters built directly above the kitchen that was part of an addition to the house in 1895, which had stairs connecting the quarters directly to the kitchen. 

• The Hobson Home on Vine St. — The land this house is on was originally part of the Bready dairy farm. The home was built in the 1950s by the Nachman family and at the time was rumored to be the most expensive building in Herndon. 

• The Culp Home on Locust St. — This "Emerson" style Doll home is a recent addition to Herndon, built in 2008. Thehome has four bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, two masonry wood-burning fireplaces and sits 3/4 of an acre of land that used to be a part of Eldenwood Fruit Farm. 

• The Skillman Home on Spring St. — This home was in the Bicksler family for almost 100 years in the 1900s and is one of the original five dairy farms in Herndon. Milk from the farm was taken to the Herndon station to be sold in Washington, D.C. 

These homes will be decorated for the holidays during the tour, and tour participants are welcome to stop at ArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St., for refreshments and a reception during the tour. Tickets are available at Herndon Florist, 716 Lynn St., and at ArtSpace. They are $15 in advance or $20 the day of.

The tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and participants can start at any home and visit them in any order. Everyone on the tour must have a ticket. No food, beverages, smoking, cameras, strollers, umbrellas or large handbags will be allowed. Additionally, the tour requests that participants do not wear high heels that could damage floors, and homeowners may request shoes be taken off when touring some of the homes.

The Holiday Homes Tour is sponsored by the Town of Herndon's Cultivating Community Initiative, Herndon Florist, artist Pat Macintyre and Meadows Farms Nurseries. Participating organizations include the Herndon Chamber of Commerce, Herndon Fortnightly Club, Herndon Optimist Club, Herndon Woman's Club and the Rotary Club of Herndon. Follow the Holiday Homes Tour on Facebook!