Preserve Historic La Porte (PHLP), La Porte's nonprofit historic preservation group (formerly known as People Engaged in Preservation), invites you to attend its enchanting 2023 Christmas Candlelight Tour of Historic Homes, Saturday, December 2nd from 3-7pm, and Sunday, December 3rd from 1-5 pm. (All times are Chicago time.) The tour includes 6 private homes, indicated as follows: Claudia Winter, 1402 Michigan Avenue; Justin and Cassie Holmquest, 1529 Michigan Avenue; Chris and Courtney Parthun, 1533 Michigan Avenue; Tim and Hannah Schroll, 1502 Indiana Avenue; Patricia Howard, 1102 Second Street; and Drew and Jamie Buchanan, 2108 Woodlawn Drive. Also included on the tour will be the Collegiate Gothic styled La Porte First United Methodist Church, 1225 Michigan Avenue; and the La Porte County Courthouse, built in 1892-93, and designed by Brentwood S. Tolan in Richardsonian Romanesque styling. All 8 sites will be open for self-guided touring, and will be decorated for the holiday season. Also included in the one ticketed price will be live musical entertainment at all locations, and refreshments at the Church.
Advance tickets, $25 each, are available right now in La Porte at Coachman Antique Mall, CO-OP Shoppes, the La Porte County Historical Society Museum, Meridian Title, Town & Country Florist, and Thode Floral. In Michigan City, advance tickets are available at the Antique Market and Hoity Toity. Finally, advance tickets are available in Valparaiso at Indie Indie Bang Bang, in Chesterton at Red Cup Café, in New Buffalo at Meridian Title, and in New Carlisle at Historic New Carlisle. Advance tickets are also available by mail. Payment must be received by December 1st, and such tickets will be provided only on a “will call” basis, at the Church. For advance tickets by mail, send your check for $25 per person, payable to: Preserve Historic La Porte, P.O. Box 853, La Porte, IN 46352. (The organization asks that you please provide an e-mail address or phone number, so they can confirm receipt of your payment.)
At-the-door tickets, $30 each, will be available at La Porte First United Methodist Church, 1225 Michigan Avenue, during the actual tour hours ONLY. For more information, contact Pam Ruminski at (219) 363-2094, Tim Stabosz at (219) 363-7485, or email p_ruminski@yahoo.com.
Pam Ruminski, long-time chairperson of the Candlelight Tour, stated, "We are humbled and excited to announce the return of the Candlelight Tour in 2023, after a 3 year hiatus. As always, our members, volunteers, decorators, and homeowners are committed to putting on another magical event for everyone.” Preserve Historic La Porte President, Mark Kurth, stated, “PHLP has been conducting the Candlelight Tour dating back to 1996, and 2023 marks our 20th tour. The Candlelight Tour is both a gathering together of the members of our community, as well as a rolling-out of the welcome mat for tourists, and all those who want to experience the historic beauty of the City of La Porte. Finally, it is also an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of historic preservation in La Porte," Kurth concluded.
Preserve Historic La Porte is a La Porte-based non-profit citizens group dedicated to the preservation of the city's historic architecture, and promoting the economic development and quality-of-life benefits of historic preservation.
