I'm not sure how long this "cloud 9" feeling is going to last relative to Palm Sunday Weekend, especially the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes, but I am not complaining! The kudos, appreciation, and positive comments for the effort put forth by the Joint Committee and the residents of Margaret Place continue over a month later!  

At last nights monthy meeting of the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society (CHPS), it was reported by Trolley docent and well known preservationist, Adley Cormier, that a group traveling from Houston for the 37th Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes in Margaret Place gave the effort a major thumbs up stating that the day was "magical." 

While not the first time the "magic" word was used when describing the antique car lined streets that were blocked from traffic for the Fan Tour and the Sunday Tour, it was especially gratifying hearing it from visitors responding to a CVB ad in the Texas Monthly.

The reaction to the event and the over 500 photographs turned in by four photographers motivated me to create a website specific to the tour, PalmSundayWeekend2012.com.

As time permits, I'll report more on the tour. For now, I want to point out the REALTORS who served and/or sponsored Palm Sunday Weekend.

ERA Moffett Realty was one of our major sponsors, donating early to the cause. Their committment to the cause early on is just one more example of why they are the number one ranked real estate firm in Southwest Louisiana! 

In fact, their $1,000 check was officially accepted and a photograph taken with then President of the MP district, Ben Mount. After Ben's death, the tour was dedicated to his memory.

As a result of ERA Moffett's sponsorship, Judy and Worth Moffett were among the lucky few able to attend the sold-out Fan Tour.  In this photo, they are pictured with Gold Sponsor and Margaret Place resident Billy Loftin. They have just left the 4th of several stops along the way. When I e-mailed Judy to secure her "OK" to use the picture, her response was quick and enthusiastic, stating, "What fun this was!"

Also attending the Fan tour was ERA Moffett agent Greg Wise.  Greg had smartly purchased an ad in the 28 program which will surely be in evidence in many living rooms across Southwest Louisiana for some time to come.  He also attended the Palm Sunday Tour and served as a docent at 106 Grove, the John Stevens Bungalow.

Laura Myrick and Johnette Szydlo, ERA Moffett agents, signed up for yet another year to and also served as docents at the Ranier home on Wilson.  Retired ERA Moffett agent, Ellie Marquez, served as a greeter docent on Harrison.  ERA Agent Phylliss Loftin offered her help in a variety of ways, including valued help weeks before the tour, "day of" and hosting an impromptu "after the Fan Tour" party. 

The ERA Moffett agents were everywhere! Case in point....Jane Brumby located a total of 4-golf carts in advance and jointed the 10-cart transport pool, assisting ALL day! Of course, she'd be hard-pressed to say she "worked" as there was much fun to be had escorting tour patrons.

The fun was not to be claimed soley by the Moffett crew.  Like Johnette and Laura, Becky Goodloe of the Flavin agency has been a docent many years. She and Susan Vincent of Susan Vincent Realty both "docented" at the "H.B. White" landmark home owned by Leslie Knox and Larry Turner with CENTURY 21 Bessette Realty, Inc. served as a docent and more at the "Oliver Stockwell" landmark home owned by Willie Mount.

Dave Bordelon of Landmark Brokers captained the Golf Cart effort and had a blast driving a bright red, 4-seater golf cart.

With over 185 docents taking part (9 houses, 3 two-hour shifts), I hope I've not missed a name.  If so, bring it to my attention and I'll be sure to insert.

On behalf of the Joint Committee, THANKS to ERA Moffett Realty, Judy Moffett, Scott Moffett, Worth Moffett, Greg Wise, Laura Myrick, Johnette Szydlo, Becky Goodloe, Susan Vincent, Larry Turner, and Dave Bordelon.

For a complete list of docents and volunteers, visit this Thank You page on PalmSundayWeekend2012.com

Lake Charles, LA  has many beautiful Historical Homes some of which can be found in Margaret Place and the downtown Lake Charles Charpentier District.  Let's take a step back into time and visit Margaret Place celebrating 100 years with the Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes!

Margaret Place streets are broken down  by Streets on the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society website.  Within the boundaries of Margaret Place in Lake Charles you will find 66 single family homes, 3 historical apartment buildings and one parochial school, Immaculate Conception Cathedral School.

Nine Margaret Place homes were featured during the 37th Annual Tour of Homes held Palm Sunday in Lake Charles, LA.  The streets within Margaret Place were full of activity with resident homeowners in golf carts transporting visitors to and from homes as needed.

For more authentic transportation to the scene of action, visitors could catch the "Trolley Bus" at specified locations in the area complete with a history lesson of the streetcar subdivision by a resident docent!

Margaret Place was one of the first Lake Charles Streetcar Subdivisions in the early 1900's.  Learn more fun facts and history about Lake Charles Streetcars.

The Leon Locke House

330 Wilson Avenue

In 1975 Blair and Mickey Stoker purchased the Locke House from the heirs.  In 2001 Blair Stoker died and Mickey considered selling the home.  The Barnetts were looking for a historic home to restore and contacted Mickey who agreed to sell them the home provided she could carve out a lot next door to build a home which eventually became 1515 Griffith Street.  The front door of that house originally came from the Locke home used to access the rooftop terrace!

1515 Griffith the newest addition to Margaret Place built by Mickey Stoker next door to 330 Wilson.

Many of the Margaret Place Homes  are graced with beautiful 100 year old Oak trees, and several have a view of the Pithon/Griffith Coulee.

205 Shell Beach Drive

The Oliver Stockwell House

This home stands at the site of the Griffith Coulee where the coulee enters Lake Charles.  The entire lot was raised and the shoreline reinforced by dredged fill from the lake and coulee.  Many of the oak trees and other plants are original to this 1937 home.

The house was originally build in 1937 as a wedding present from Dr. Holcombe to his daughter who married Oliver Stockwell.  The two story white clapboard neoclassical structure reflects the ambiance and style of an antebellum plantation house because it is a copy of an old Southern plantation house near Thibodeaux, LA Dr. Holcombe admired.  The cost to construct the house in 1937 was $20,550!

It was a beautiful day in Lake Charles LA to celebrate 100 years of history in Margaret Place. Here is a glimpse of the 100 year celebration of these lovely mid century  Lake Charles LA homes!

 Courtesy of Marilyn Boudreaux, Century 21 Mike D Bono & Co.'s

Lake Charles Real Estate

Lake Charles Communities

I am so proud to chair the 2012 Palm Sunday Weekend events and in particularily, the 37th Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes. that will celebrate the centennial of my neighborhood, the Margaret Place Historical District!

Read more on pages 34 and35. Major salute to Thrive Magazine for their coverage.

Note, a 3rd brunch has been added! Brunch ticket holders are allowed access to the nine (9) homes on the tour at 11:00.

121 Artisan's Bistro, located conveniently across from one of the 4 ticket sales areas, will now host THREE seatings: 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30! Learn more and check out the scrumptious menu.

  Continuing in my Louisiana and Lake Charles Charles Centennial Celebration Seres Let's revisit the 1900's!!

After the great fire of 1910 in Lake Charles, the City rebuilt and one of the new neighborhoods in the heart of Lake Charles as a result of new 1900 period construction was Margaret Place.

In previous blog posts, I shared  the 100 year old homes of Margaret Place and  also re-visited the history of the Shell Beach Homes.

Today, let's travel back in time once again and preview what it was like living in Margaret Place in the 1900's in this video tour shared by Lake Charles historian Adley Cormier!

The Return of 1900's Street Cars

The South Ryan Streetcar Re-enactment. City of Lake Charles Transit will recreate the route of the historic South Ryan Streetcar line both for citizens  using a specially commissioned trolley bus. The route will allow for easy-on-and-off transit and shuttle service from the Civic Center-lakefront area to Margaret Place during the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes of April 1 2012.   An onboard docent will tell the story of the streetcar system. The trolly tour is free to the public.

 Lake Charles is rich in culture and history.  Lake Charles has been my home for 29 years where I have enjoyed living, working and playing throughout the years.  I  love Lake Charles and enjoy sharing my knowledge of our city with those relocating to Lake Charles or visiting Lake Charles. 

To learn more about Lake Charles  and Lake Charles Real estate, visit my website.  I am passionate about real estate and enjoy "matching people with properties"

 Other Historical Blogs of Interest:

 Lake Charles Historic Churches

 Historic Places in Lake Charles

 Re-Visiting The Charleston Hotel

 1912  Lake Charles US Post Office/Courthouse

Tainted Love Becomes Bloody Valentine in 1940

Margaret Place

History of Shell Beach Homes

The Return of 1900's Street Cars

*

The state of Louisiana kicks off a year-long celebration of 200 years of statehood

LAKE CHARLES CELEBRATES HISTORICAL MARGARET PLACE!

Continuing in my Historical Series of Lake Charles as promised, here is a preview of   the Lake Charles Palm Sunday Historical Tour of Homes  which will focus on Margaret Place:

Margaret Place is generally considered the oldest recorded subdivision in Calcasieu Parish and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012.

According to the Calcasieu Historical Society, the boundaries for the Margaret Place Historical District are  the Griffith Coulee, Shell Beach Drive, the Pithon Coulee, and the North side of South Ryan.  Margaret Place streets are broken down by individual Streets on the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society website. There are less than 100 homes within Margaret Place.

MY FAVORITE MARGARET PLACE HOME

  One of my favorite Margaret Place homes is located at 330 Wilson  and was once owned by my dear friends Mickey and Blair Stoker.  Active members of First Presbyterian Church in Lake Charles, the Stokers always hosted  the annual Santa party for the kids of First Presbyterian Church.  As you will see by the picture below, we had quite a big group back in the 1980′s!  This is  another photo from my time capsule from 1988!  I have pointed myself out my holding my daughter, Melinda  and my son, Curtis, is  in the front row!

330 Wilson is also  known as the “Locke” home for historical purposes.  Leon Locke was Mayor of Lake Charles in the 1930′s.  Lake Charles also has a park nearby named after Mr. Locke.    You can view the charm of this historic home  when 330 Wilson will be on the 2012 Palm Sunday Tour of Homes.

 Margaret Place Centennial Celebration
 March 31-April 1 Margaret Place in Lake Charles will show off it's history!

Saturday March 31- Margaret Place Fan Tour. Beginning at 4 p.m. ticket holders will take a guided walking tour focusing on the  porch/garden/patio history of Margaret Place homes.  This will be followed by a Celebration Street Party with Margaret Place residents including musical entertainment and a cash bar from 6-8 p.m. This event is already SOLD OUT!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

100th Anniversary Brunch.  121 Artisian Bistro is located right in the heart of Margaret Place. There will be  two brunch seatings at 9:30 a.m. and at 10:30 a.m. This is an advanced sale/limited ticket event. $25. Click here for details. 


Reflections of Margaret Place and ICCS in Pictures. An exhibition of photographs and images from both the Immaculate Conception Cathedral School and Margaret Place residents, regional artists and archives. Free. Click here for details.

Palm Sunday Tour of Homes.  This is an event not to be missed!  Ticket holders will have the opportunity to view the exteriors and interiors of nine fabulous private residences in this historic area.   One of these homes is the Shell Beach Drive Residence of Former Louisiana Senator Willie Mount.  Tickets may be purchased at Margaret Place entrance gateways the day of the tour for $25. Click here for details. 


Sue Zimmerman, recipient of the Mayor's Award as the 2010 Artist of the Year, has created watercolor Images of Margaret Place, which will be on display in the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes program. The paintings feature architectural accents and images of the homes on the tour. Click here to view the images and learn more about how to purchase the artwork.

There is currently one Margaret Place property for sale which is a townhome on  Dr. Michael Debakey Drive for $149,900.

The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau along with the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, have been busy with many other plans to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Louisiana statehood.

  Stay tuned, in my next Historical Celebration Series  I will continue to share fun facts and historical information about Lake Charles LA

  Lake Charles is rich in culture and history.  Lake Charles has been my home for 29 years where I have enjoyed living, working and playing throughout the years.  I  love Lake Charles and enjoy sharing my knowledge of our city with those relocating to Lake Charles or visiting Lake Charles. 

To learn more about Lake Charles  and Lake Charles Real estate, visit my website.  I am passionate about real estate and enjoy "matching people with properties"

 Other Historical Blogs of Interest:

 Lake Charles Historic Churches

 Historic Places in Lake Charles

 Re-Visiting The Charleston Hotel

 1912  Lake Charles US Post Office/Courthouse

This year's Palm Sunday Events will be dedicated to the memory of long-time Margaret Place Historical District (MPHD) resident, preservationist and my friend, Ben Mount.

You can learn more about this announcement and the weekend activities on the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society's (CHPS) website. Briefly, the tour has been expanded to include the following to help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Margaret Place.

- Margaret Place Fan Tour on Saturday afternoon/evening, March 31st
- 100th Anniversary Brunch at 121 Artisan's Bistro on Sunday, April 1st  Two seatings.
- Free Exhibit at ICCS that will include Margaret Place Artwork by Sue Zimmerman
-Palm Sunday Tour of nine private homes in Margaret Place
- Blocked streets to better enjoy the vintage cars that will be on display
- Optional, complimentary civic center parking with transporation and historical insights provided by a docent on the Lake Charles Trolley
- Carriage rides by reservation with J&R Carriage
- Full color program

This effort is under the direction of a significant joint committee comprised of hard working representatives from CHPS, MPHD, the SWLA Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the Arts and Humanites Council, and the City of Lake Charles.

Tickets to the Fan Tour and Brunch (two seatings) are limited

You can purchase tickets on-line now.

Tickets can also be purchased by check by printing out a multi- purpose form that also provides for those wishing to volunteer, advertise and/or  serve as a sponsor.

Special thanks to Sue Zimmermann and Empire of the Seed Historical Properties for the "Images of Margaret Place" artwork such as the column to the left which is displayed here with permission. To see more of Sue Zimmermann's artwork, visit Sue Zimmermann.com.

Margaret Place Historical District Townhome

Townhomes in the popular Margaret Place Historical District are a rarity!

Located at 210 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive, this townhome offers 2 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths and 1,698 square feet of living area. 

Features include an open floor plan, new kitchen cabinets, granite, paint, oak staircase, proximity to Christus St. Patrick's Hospital and more!

What a great time to buy in Margaret Place! Generally considered to be the oldest recorded subdivision in Lake Charles, Margaret Place will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012.  Come join the celebration!

Additional features include a wood burning fireplace and a privacy fenced patio on a lot measuring 29.57 x 45.79.

Directions:  From Ryan Street, go west on Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive.  Townhomes are behind Moffett Realty.

Schools:  Barbe Elementary, Reynaud Middle, Washington High School