Local news & views around the Florida-Georgia border.
Amelia Island Holiday Home Tour 2016
Amelia Island’s Holiday Home Tour 2016 offers a rare opportunity to see inside some of Fernandina’s historic, private homes, including Centre Street’s Lesesne House circa 1860.
Lesesne House, Centre St., Downtown Fernandina Historic District
Amelia Island Holiday Home Tour 2016
Amelia Island Museum of History’s 10th Annual “Holiday Home Tour” is the first weekend of December in 2016 and features five lovely Victorian-era homes located in the historic district of downtown Fernandina Beach.
Tour Victorian-Era Homes
The Holiday Home Tour 2016 offers the public a rare opportunity to go inside some of Fernandina’s lovelist, historic homes — private residences decked out for the holiday season — graciously opened by the homeowners.
December 2-3, 2016
The self-paced tour allows guests to leisurely wander around downtown on Friday, December 2, 2016 and Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 10 am to 4 pm and stop by each home. Step onto the front porches and through historic thresholds to glimpse these beautiful homes in their holiday attire, decorated by professional designers. Guests will also hear the history of these special homes of Fernandina, narrated by Museum staff and volunteers. Victorian-dressed carolers will add to the holiday spirit, serenading guests.
Centre Street’s Lesesne House C. 1860
A featured home to be toured this holiday season is a landmark of Centre Street, the Lesesne House, circa 1860 (pictured above). Local residents and visitors to downtown Fernandina over the years have walked by this enchanting home with its white picket fence on historic Centre Street. Seven generations of the same family have proudly owned the memorable Lesesne House. The home predates the iconic brick building across the street by over 30 years. When the homeowners sit on their lovely front verandah at 415 Centre Street, they look directly across to the clock-tower-topped Nassau County Courthouse (pictured below) at 416 Centre Street, another historic district landmark downtown.
Other historic homes on the tour are 120 North Third Street circa 1884, 30 South Third Street circa 1895 (formerly called the JJ Kelly home), 604 Ash Street circa 1891 (formerly known as the “Christmas House”) and 124 South Fifth Street pre-1926.
You can also buy tickets in advance for a $5 discount at the following Amelia Island locations:
— Fernandina’s Old Train Depot, 102 Centre Street (Tourist Info Center)
— Peterbrooke Chocolatier near Publix at 1427 Sadler Road
— Palmetto Walk Shopping Center’s “Plantation Shop” at 4828 First Coast Highway
Raffle tickets will be sold prior to and during the Holiday Home Tour, December 2-3, 2016.
The Amelia Island Museum describes the 8-Day Viking River Cruise prize as follows:
“Spectacular 8-day Holiday Markets VIKING RIVER CRUISE through the heart of Europe from the Amelia Island Museum of History Holiday Home Tour Raffle. The lucky winner may choose between the Rhine Getaway, the Romantic Danube, the Paris & the Heart of Normandy or the Danube Waltz cruise. Each features a river-view stateroom with deluxe accommodations, guided tours led by expert, English-speaking guides, all onboard meals, wine, beer and soft drinks with on board lunch and dinner service as well as visits to UNESCO Sites and all port charges. The 2017 Holiday Markets cruise will provide one cabin, double occupancy, valued at $6,098. Raffle tickets can be purchased online using PayPal, costs: 1 ticket for $5, 3 for $10, 7 for $20 and 20 for $50. For more info, contact Jayne at [email protected].
