The Wilmette Historical Museum is celebrating its 30th annual spring housewalk, set for May 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., by visiting what a museum spokeswoman called one of the last areas in Wilmette to be subdivided and developed.
“A Stroll in the GLOW” will feature four homes in the southeast Wilmette neighborhood that includes Gregory, Laurel, Oakwood and Woodbine avenues, Laura Winston said; the GLOW acronym proceeds from the first letter of each street name, she said.
“It’s a lovely neighborhood, and not very many houses from the neighborhood have been on our house walks before,” Winston said. “Because it was one of the last neighborhoods in town to be developed, you see a lot of Prairie Style homes.”
Development in the area took place roughly 100 years ago, she said, “as American residential architecture was breaking away from Victorian excesses to the simplified Prairie and Craftsman styles.”
Winston said housewalk organizers are focusing this year’s event in the one neighborhood, much as they did in 2016 with a house walk that focused on the Indian Hill area of Wilmette.
“Oftentimes we’ll have a theme that takes us all around Wilmette, but last year, it was so nice just being able to walk in one area, we thought, wouldn’t it be lovely to do that again,” she said.
Historical Museum volunteers begin research and work on each year’s housewalk, which she said is the institution’s major fundraiser, in the fall, said Winston, who is the museum’s community engagement officer.
Researchers reach out to the owners of houses that the volunteers have previously noticed, she said. Sometimes contact can begin with a note left in the door, she added.
Housewalk organizers will visit each potential tour residence, she said, to determine if home’s interior has historic features that match up with its exterior.
“It’s a generous thing for someone to open up their home to the public and allow them in. It’s somewhat of a big ask, but people in Wilmette are very generous,” Winston said.
The houses on the 2017 housewalk feature art glass windows and doors, original 1910 lighting fixtures and woodwork, and built-in features such as benches and buffets. They range from a one-story Arts and Crafts house to a larger, three-story Prairie Style home, she said.
Winston said guides will be on hand to help visitors who tour each house’s interior, providing details about its history. People who buy tickets for the housewalk will get a brochure with information on each house’s history, early owners, and more, she said.
The museum’s spring housewalk is held each year to support the Wilmette Historical Museum, Winston said.
According to Museum information, advance tickets are $40 for museum members, $50 for non-members, and $25 for high school or college students. Advance tickets area available until May 20 at 5 p.m. by visiting the museum website at www.wilmettehistory.org, by calling (847) 853-7666, or by visiting the museum at 609 Ridge Road, Sunday through Thursday between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
On the day of the housewalk, tickets will be sold at the museum from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and are $50 for museum members and $60 for non-members; tickets for students remain at $25. According to the museum, credit cards and cash are accepted. For further information, call the museum or email museum@wilmette.com.
Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
