Geneva, N.Y.: The Geneva Historical Society’s 2016 Tour of Homes: All Roads Lead Home will be on Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour features eight private residences, the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the Finger Lakes Community College Viticulture and Wine Center, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
Refreshments will be available at St. Peter’s Church at 149 Genesee Street on the day of the tour. The church, which celebrates its 150th Anniversary in 2017, will also host a 30-minute performance by students from St. Peter’s Academy for the Arts at 4 p.m.
Tickets for the tour are $22 and are on sale at Rose Hill Mansion and the Geneva Historical Society. On the day of the tour, tickets will sell for $25 at the Geneva Historical Society and at the southernmost tour stop, the cobblestone house at 100 Old State Road. Discounted tickets will be available to members of the Geneva Historical Society only in advance of the tour at the Historical Society office. Each ticket holder will also be eligible to win a gift basket from Harry & David.
The 2016 Tour of Homes is generously supported by HEP Sales, Century 21/Steve Davoli Real Estate, Ashley HomeStore and Bostrom Farms.
The Geneva Historical Society is located in the Prouty-Chew House at 543 South Main Street and is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Rose Hill Mansion is at 3373 Route 96A in Fayette. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. For further information about the tour, call the Historical Society office at 315-789-5151.
This year’s tour features the following sites:
- The Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, 300 Pulteney Street: Opened in January of this year, this 65,000-square-foot facility brings together the music, dance, theater, and media and society departments in a unified academic space at the heart of the Hobart and William Smith campus. Consistent in design with existing campus architecture, the brick and stone building exceeds LEED Silver Certification.
- 488 White Springs Road: Complete with a wonderful view of farmland and vineyards, this 1965 Dutch colonial style home has 3,700 square feet of living space. The garden features rhododendrons, daylilies, roses, hydrangea, weeping cherry, blueberries, Concord grapes, and gooseberries.
- FLCC’s Viticulture and Wine Center, 100 Empire Drive: This 9,000-square-foot facility opened in 2015 with a teaching winery, enology laboratory, aging rooms, wine storage, a crush pad, a classroom, and office space. The facility supports FLCC's viticulture and wine technology program.
- ARC Home, 859 Hastings Road: Currently owned by Ontario ARC, this home was originally built in 1989 by Otto and Maria Stern, owners of Stern's Nurseries and developer of Miracle Gro plant food. The property features a greenhouse, a large open-concept kitchen, and two deck areas.
- 5053 Reeds Bay: Built in 1940, this cottage was completely overhauled and expanded in 2014. The house includes a deck looking out on 100 feet of lake frontage, custom kitchen cabinets, hand hewn hardwood floors, and a second floor balcony with lake views.
- Weaver View Farms, 386 State Route 14: This 13-room house sits on a 80-acre Mennonite farm and features a country porch and a recently rebuilt kitchen with beautiful wood cabinetry, floors, and paneling.
- 1166 Earls Hill Road: Built in 2010, this eco-friendly home was constructed from Logix insulated concrete forms and uses a geothermal heating and cooling system. The interior features a custom kitchen and great room with a 180-degree view of Seneca Lake
- 1136 Earls Hill Road: More spectacular views of Seneca Lake will be found on this property. A 1997 ranch with hardwood floors, the house is stocked with antique furniture, an old safe, and collections of vintage toys and milk containers.
- 1107 Earls Hill Road: This 12-acre property includes an 8-acre vineyard as well as the 2000-built house. The house has a wraparound porch with views of the vineyards and the lake. The interior boasts vaulted ceilings, a catwalk, and flooring of both cork and exotic hardwood.
- 100 Old State Road: Built in the 1850s by Jephtha Earl, this cobblestone house is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of only nine surviving cobblestone buildings in Yates County. The four-bedroom, three-bath home has a recently remodeled kitchen, three working fireplaces, three porches, and splendid views of Seneca Lake.
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 149 Genesee Street: Organized in 1867 and constructed in 1870 as a memorial to missionary Bishop William Heathcoate Delancy, St. Peter's Episcopal Church celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017. The church was designed by well-known architect Richard Upjohn and features several original stained glass windows, one of which was designed by Tiffany.
