House tours traditionally draw hundreds of residents and visitors out for a glimpse of Plainfield history. Sometimes the emphasis is purely on the architecture, other times there are themes. An upcoming one is "Brides of the Decades; Love Wins!" in the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District. The tour date is Sunday, June 5 and it is worth planning ahead to attend with friends and relatives who may not live here, but would like to know more about Plainfield.
Tickets go on sale April 2, as indicated on this page from the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District website
These tours are organized by volunteers and often there is a need for docents or greeters on the tour date as well. If you live here, it's a great way to meet fellow Plainfielders and do something fun for a good cause. Often the proceeds are used to beautify the district or for other good works. A portion of the proceeds from this tour will go toward scholarships.
Plainfield's eclectic Victorian architecture and its many special gardens are an interesting part of the city's tapestry. I once lived in a communal household in a former mansion on West Eighth Street and marveled at the craftsmanship and detail involved in its construction. My thoughts were more with the artisans themselves than with their patrons, and I also came to appreciate the 20th century preservationists and renovators who have saved these homes from decay or loss. Whatever your perspective, a glimpse into historic homes can be fascinating.
Other tours are in the works - I will try to share details as they become available.
--Bernice
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I've never heard it phrased the way you did it and I love it... "Communal Mansion" ... makes where I live on West 8th sound even better !!
ReplyDeleteIt was actually considered an intentional community and had passed a legal test at one point to be recognized as such. I was glad to be part of it before it finally dissolved. Other options, such as those in the Federation of Egalitarian Communities, were too far away.
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