Published: December 04, 2008 08:14 pm         

Rockville gallery home tour Saturday

Rockville — Catch the Christmas Spirit with two events Saturday sponsored by the Art Gallery on the north side of the Historical Square in Rockville.

Begin the afternoon viewing five homes on Saturday. The four occupied homes range in age from 1800 to 2008 plus the Historical Society’s Log cabin will be included in the tour. Each place has its own distinct personality.

The “Wassail In” has proven to be a hit with those attending. Gather at the Gallery from 6 to 8 p.m. with your friends and neighbors for an evening of live fiddle music by the students of Judy Green from Clinton. Enjoy tasteful hors d’oeuvres and hot wassail as you chat, shop and slip into nostalgic feelings of Christmas’ past.

There will be a 10 percent discount from most artists during the “Wassail In.”

Tickets are currently available at the Art Gallery. Prices are $8 for each event or $15 for both. Maps of the homes are included. For more information, contact the Gallery at (765) 569-9422.

Gallery hours are daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Description and location of each home:

• Janet Hetrick: 513 Howard Ave.:

Janet resides in the home of her cousin, Tom Pry. The original owner, John Lukis Wiler, lived here in 1864 and built the first plank walk in 1879. The walk ran from Mrs. Howard’s gate along Howard Avenue. Dr. Jack Knight used the home as a dental office with an apartment upstairs.

There was a fire in the 1980s, and during the remodeling Dale Cox added a sunroom, cedar shakes to the roof and the art deco light fixture hanging in the dining room. The carriage house serves as a garage and storage area.

Janet’s French friends and her travels to France are reflected in her choice of warm, bright colors, especially red.

Ruth’s Florals Creation helped with Christmas decorations.

Historical Society’s Log Cabin: 404 High St.:

The log cabin was donated by the Crowder family. The cabin was taken piece by piece from the Lyford area and placed here.

Originally it was one room with a loft. Note the split rail fence, the exterior shutters and the rain barrel

Schoolchildren tour this site each spring. Karen Woodson, curator of the museum, will be adding items from donations made over the years, which will portray early life in Parke County.

• Tom and Sheila Rohr: 3014 E. New Discovery Road:

Previous owners were John and Betty Stryker.

The current home is built over a basement that was part of the original homestead prior to the 1930s. One story is that a member of the family became ill, so all items were removed and the home burned to the ground to kill the disease. A new home was built over the existing foundation and basement.

The framing and siding were built with native poplar. Most of the woodwork, floors and cabinets were cut from a single oak tree taken from the farm.

Three renovations since the 1980s include an electrical system, addition of a bathroom upstairs, a large garage and workshop. In 1955 a new kitchen, replacement windows, siding, a utility room and a deck were added. Recent renovations are a new bathroom, a larger kitchen with Amish cabinets, heating and cooling upstairs and a great room with an 18-foot ceiling and fireplace. Most of the oak woodwork and flooring were saved.

The great room overlooks woods and fields where turkeys and deer graze. The three Rohr girls have decorated their rooms with unique color schemes and tastes.

Kay Timm, Dana Aucoin, Cindy Lacefield and Sheila Rohr completed the home show decorations.

• Mike and Debby Rose: 2711 S. 500 E. Road:

Mike and Debby finished their spacious house, custom built by Collings Construction, in June 2008.

The entrance into the brick traditional-style house brings you into the heart of the home. In this inviting space, there is a gourmet kitchen, a dining room and a sunroom. There are large windows with a view of the deck and a fireplace, which creates a warm cozy atmosphere.

The lower level contains a family room and a game room with exit to a patio.

There are three bedrooms, an office and four bathrooms. The master bedroom also has a deck.

Debby Rose and Jill Stewart have created a lovely, homey atmosphere throughout.

• Doug and Gina Whitford: 6238 New Discovery Rd.

This large farmhouse was built by the Samuel Davis family . During the Homestead Act in the early 1800s, the original deed was on sheepskin and signed by Abraham Lincoln.

Today’s owners are the Whitfords and George and Louise Michael. The Michaels purchased the home in 1980 and lived there several years. It has been totally redone by Louise and more recently by Gina.

Staying true to the style, the furniture is antique with heirlooms from ancestors. Wrought iron, Longaberger baskets and artwork by Louise are primary accents.

The exterior once had four porches. The lamp post and fence are from the Rockville town square. Separate from the house is a game room converted from a one-car garage.

Gina and Heather Adams decorated the home.