The Kutztown Holiday House Tour kicks off Kutztown’s bicentennial celebration Dec. 7, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
“We’re really excited to be able to tie our Holiday House Tour in with Kutztown’s bicentennial,” said Kutztown Community Library Director Janet Yost. “We’re excited to have houses that span three centuries.”
Her favorite part of the tour is “getting to see inside some of these beautiful houses that you’ve only ever been able to experience on the outside and I love to see what people do to them inside.”
Hosted by the Friends of the Kutztown Community Library as a library fundraiser, the self-guided tour this year features seven historical homes in Kutztown, starting at the Yoga House, which is the old Kemp’s Hotel, where appetizers will be served, and finish with dessert and coffee and tea at Main Street Inn.
“All of the funds earned from the Holiday House Tour go to the Friends of the Library who support us in many ways throughout the year,” said Yost.
“This is our 21st house tour for the library. This is probably the first time we have all the homes in Kutztown,” said Lillian Karch, member of the Friends of the Kutztown Community Library. “It’s one of the biggest fundraisers that the library has. We hope to have a very big turn out.”
Her favorite part of the Holiday House Tour is going to the different homes. “You usually just see them on the outside. The curiosity is there as to what is on the inside of these homes. Especially to see these historic homes, it’s really neat.”
Homes on the estimated 1.5 mile-long tour include The Yoga House, Michele Zimmerman home on Highland Avenue, Linda and Bob Mack’s home on Highland Avenue, Harry Eshleman and Barbara Peters’s home on West Walnut, Eleanor and Richard Shaner’s home on West Main Street, Martin Smith and Mayor Sandra Green’s home on South Baldy, and Pam and Angelo Corrado’s Main Street Inn.
“It gets us inside the homes we always wish we could see,” said Karch. “It certainly has raised money so we can buy new equipment, books, DVDs and so many other things like trips to interesting places… there’s just a lot of things going on at the library.”
The house tour was started by the late Sarah Mack, of the library executive board, in 1992.
“She thought this would be a real good fundraiser for the community and it probably has been one of our best fundraisers in all these years,” said Karch, noting that Friends of the Library only missed one year, last year, but the house tour is back.
A long time member of the Friends, Karch said, “I started because three children who grew up in Kutztown who used the library constantly and I used the library and so appreciated everything that was done for my own family and for myself that I decided to become a part of it and put time in so we could grow the library for the community. I just think young people coming in, especially if they have children, will see the value we have here.”
Karch believes the books, the DVDs, storytimes and other services and programs offered at the library are all important in the growth of a child.
Encouraging others to join Friends, she said, “I think people who would join (Friends) would have a lot of fun also working with the library and it helps the community so much. It’s a good thing for our children of the community also.”
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Kutztown Community Library, 70 Bieber Alley, Kutztown. They are available on the day of the tour at The Yoga House, 15305 Kutztown Road, Kutztown, or Main Street Inn, 401 West Main Street, Kutztown. All proceeds benefit the Kutztown Community Library located at 70 Bieber Alley in Kutztown. For more information, call the library at 610-683-5820.
