Holiday Home Tours, organized by the Lincoln County Tourism Coalition and the Lincoln County Historical Society are back for the 2023 holiday season with destinations in Lincoln and Barnard.
On Sunday, December 3, three local homes will be decorated and open for viewing from 1 pm to 4 pm, along with the historic Marshall- Yohe House decorated room by room for the holidays. Local businesses have sponsored rooms for a Christmas decorating contest. Holiday Home Tours event goers will have the first chance at voting on the contest winners.
Advance tickets are available through Friday, December 1 at the Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce, 144 E. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $18 in advance, and $20 the day of the event at the Marshall-Yohe House, 302 W. Second St.
Hosts this year are Angie Cantwell and Jack and Kathie Crispin in Lincoln, and Barb Rathbun with the Cookbook House in Barnard.
The Cantwell home, with a “Frank Lloyd Wright” inspired design was built by architect Charles Shaver in 1951 for Max and Vera Crawford. John and Ann Gabelmann purchased the home in 2010. The Cantwell’s have lived in the home for three years.
“I have recently remodeled the kitchen and laundry rooms,” Angie Cantwell said. “The kitchen area is now open to the living room. The windows were replaced in the living room, dining room, sunroom and kitchen. It was important to the design team and me to maintain the integrity of the home as originally inspired.”
Cantwell’s extensive Christmas Village collection will be on display for the Holiday Home Tour.
Barb Rathbun’s “Cookbook House” in Barnard is packed from floor to ceiling in every room with an impressive selection of cookbooks of all varieties. The collection doesn’t stop at cookbooks as nostalgic kitchen utensils, mugs, recipe boxes and more combine to make stepping into this home feel like a journey to a warm kitchen from another time.
The Cookbook House will be decorated with trees of collectibles including KU, Barbie, Hershey’s, Coca-Cola and Campbell’s.
The Crispin home, located above the Post Rock Scout Museum and Drug Store Museum in the native limestone Cummins Block Building on the corner of First Street and Lincoln Avenue has an original pine staircase leading to the second story. The Crispin’s purchased the building in 1997, completing rehabilitation on the home in 2007. They kept the original floor plan as they turned it into their home. When the couple began, the plaster was falling off the lathe walls and only one lightbulb on a wire in the middle of each room. The Cummins Block Building is one of the oldest buildings in Lincoln.
The final stop on the 2023 Holiday Home Tour is the three-story 1885 Queen Anne Victorian Marshall-Yohe House which will be decorated for Christmas room-by-room by local businesses. Tour-goers are invited for refreshments and a first look at all the decorated spaces.
Abram and Belle Crowe Marshall were the original owners of the historic home that has long been an important landmark in Lincoln. Abram was a founder of the Saline Valley Bank in Lincoln. The home was later purchased by Ben and Della Yohe. Ben owned and operated the Shady Bend Mill along the Saline River east of Lincoln. After Della’s death in 1942 Ben married Lucretia Scholer from the Barnard area. The house was vacant from 1983 to 1989. Lucretia will the house to the Lincoln County Historical Society with instructions to have the home restored and the furnishings and antiques displayed. The home is open for tours throughout the year by appointment.
Contact the Lincoln Chamber office for more information at 785524-4934.
