You’re curious. Admit it. How many Key West houses have you biked or walked past, craning your neck and standing on tiptoes to catch just a glimpse of the interior, beyond the sweeping front porch. How many times have you slyly peered through fence slats to see the lush garden you just knew was contained within the yard?
Now’s your chance. Actually, you have three chances over the next few months to peruse five historic homes and gardens in Old Town Key West.
For the 66th year, Old Island Restoration Foundation, that august nonprofit organization that is committed to preserving Key West’s architectural history, is hosting its Key West Home Tours. For two days in January, February and March, generous homeowners open their doors and welcome curious onlookers as well as volunteer docents who are armed with research on the home, its neighborhood and perhaps any notable prior owners or occupants.
The tours always take place on a Friday and Saturday, and ticketholders can partake on either or both days.
One of the five stops is always the Oldest House Museum & Gardens on Duval Street, where OIRF is headquartered.
“We’re also trying to include a historic church on each of the tours,” OIRF executive director Nick Green told the Keys Weekly this week. “Most importantly, we’re always looking for homeowners willing to open their doors and welcome visitors, as the featured homes change each month. And we always, always need volunteer docents to spend a few hours on one of the tour days at one of the homes. We do all the research on the property and give the volunteers just about a half-page printout of interesting facts and architectural details. They don’t have to memorize anything and they get a free ticket to tour the homes on the day they’re not volunteering.”
Tour dates this year are Jan. 23 and 24, Feb. 13 and 14 and March 13 and 14.
The home tours reveal a range of architectural gems, eclectic art, transformed cigar-makers’ cottages, shipbuilders’ craft, re-imagined Victorian mansions and the stories behind the facades.
Old Island Restoration Foundation offers the home tours as part of its mission to protect, preserve and celebrate Key West’s architecture, culture and intangible heritage since 1960.
Tickets are on sale for individual tour dates, or a new discount package for all tours. Tickets provide entry to five homes at a self-guided pace, between 1 and 4 p.m. on a Friday and Saturday.To volunteer or buy home tour tickets, visit oirf.org. To open your home for one of the tour weekends, email Toby Bruce at tobyb@oirf.org or call 305-294-9501.
