A Glimpse at the Past ~ 15th annual Oxnard Autumn Historic Home Tour

A Glimpse at the Past ~ 15th annual Oxnard Autumn Historic Home Tour

On Sunday (Sept. 25, 2011) on the 15th annual Oxnard Autumn Historic Home Tour, which will feature five homes in the heart of Oxnard. The fundraising event will benefit the Fifth Street Beautification Project, an ongoing, community-based effort to landscape Fifth Street between H and C street.

According to Gary Blum, site superintendent at Heritage Square, said, "This year, we're again going to have the trolley. People love the trolley. It's very popular with house tour guests. We also have a marketplace with about 15 vendors selling a wide variety of items in 400 block of F Street," Blum said. "The marketplace will be spread out across three front lawns and will include the bonsai from a church and complimentary refreshments."

Blum said this year's tour will feature the largest range of dates for homes of the historic neighborhood, from Victorian to Colonial Revival to Craftsman to Spanish revival. The neighborhood was established around the turn of the 20th century through the 1930s.

"Typically, we have just one style such as Victorian or Colonial Revival, which signify the developments of the neighborhood," Blum said. "The period of significance historically goes into the '30s. This year, we have a home that represents every year of historic significance of the area."

Ticket for the tour are available at the Carnegie Art Museum, 424 S. C St. A self-guided walking and trolley tour of historic homes will include demonstrations, raffles, vintage cars and a marketplace of artisanal and local products. Package tours, including wine tasting and lunch, are also available.

The home tour is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 427 South F St. Parking is available in the neighborhood, as is a free trolley shuttle service. Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance and $25 on tour day. A lunch and wine tasting package, which includes tours of Heritage Square and the autumn tour homes, is available at $45 per person. For ticket information, go online to http://www.oxnardhistoricdistrict.com or call 805-483-7960.