It’s probably a good bet that this year’s OctoberTour?, coming up October 13 and 14, will attract a lot of locals champing at the bit to see the fabulous new restoration of the Hambley-Wallace House.
Salisbury residents have watched over the past few years as workers have devoted countless hours to restoring the 21-room mansion that is similar to the French homes that inspired George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore House.This will be the first year that people can see every floor of the home, including the third-floor ballroom, the site of generations of family events -as long as they have a ticket to the Historic Salisbury Foundation’s 37th annual OctoberTour.?
Designed by Charles Christian Hook and constructed between 1901 and 1903, the Hambley-Wallace House is one of the only examples of the Châteauesque architecture in the Piedmont.
The restoration has been directed by contractor Spencer C. Lane, brother of Mona Wallace. Spencer’s wife, Janie Lane, was responsible for the restored landscaping, using old photographs in the recreation of the original grounds, although some new features have been added.
Another tour highlight will be the 1909 Emma and Claude Morris House on West Bank Street, now owned by Leah and Shawn Campion – who are only the second family to own the two-story Colonial Revival home. It was recently sold by a descendant of Emma Speight Morris, who was a founder of the Rowan Public library, the first female Board of Education member in Rowan County and “Woman of the Year” in 1951.
Other stops on this year’s OctoberTour? will include the Temperance-Bingham House (1901), a Queen Anne home which was also home to a school of dance; the Blackmer-Woodson House (c.1880); and the Yancey-Hardiman Building (1924), a restored retail and office building at the city’s eastern gateway, with pressed metal ceilings and period-reproduction fixtures and wood flooring.
This year’ tour features an entire week of special events, many of which are free or low-cost.
Hours are Saturday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5:30 op.m.
For more information, visit OctoberTour.com or call 704-636-0103.
The Historic Salisbury Foundation, founded in 1972, is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and enhance the special historic character of Salisbury and Rowan County through education, neighborhood revitalization, advocacy and preservation of historic landmarks.
Cover photos courtesy of Ben Martin and David Willingham.