Candlelight House Tour Homes
Saturday, December 2, 2023 | 5 – 9 PM
Sunday, December 3, 2023 | Noon – 4 PM
Historic Frederick
The Home of Jerry & Shelley Johnson
9 Kline Boulevard
The 1963 brick home built by Morgan and Keller was purchased in 2003 from the original owners, the Jacobsen’s.
The Johnson’s renovations involved removing four walls and four doors on the main floor, opening the space for a larger kitchen, and converting the original living room into the dining room. An addition to the back of the house includes a living room, and a walk-in closet and dressing area off the main bedroom.
All art and crafts in the home are original or handmade, including paintings in the front entry, dining room, and living room by the homeowners’ son.
Note the vintage bicycles dividing living spaces inside the home or nestled in the garden. Outside, doors of the small “barn” include typeface from a print shop in Vermont and a unique wall built by the homeowners provides a private entertaining area.
Holiday decor includes Santas in all shapes and sizes throughout the house, including the front door! Many were made or collected by the homeowner over the years. Visitors will see collectable cookie and candy tins as well as Santa figures from the 50’s. The tree’s decorations include vintage tin toys and the homeowner’s collection of paper dolls.
The Home of Doug & Kim Selby
204 Magnolia Ave
This charming Cape Cod on Baker Park was built in 1950 and renovated in 2008 by Ron Hemby, increasing its size to 3600 square feet through updates including a gourmet kitchen, hardwood flooring throughout, and now a fully finished basement with bedroom and full bath, 2-car garage, fenced yard, patio, and side porch.
The Selbys bought the home in 2011 for its location on the park and their ability to walk to downtown Frederick. The four ensuite bedrooms that were part of the 2008 renovation allow them to accommodate their grown children and guests. They also added landscaping in the front yard and renovated the patio, and in 2015, a stone wall and bluestone decking as well as a large porch swing completed the outdoor living space. Finishing touches to the decor include bookshelves and wainscoting in the television room and laundry room, plus pantry room shelving. A poured cement vanity was installed in the half bath on the main floor, then upgrades to the kitchen were made including replaced counter tops and a tiled backsplash.
For the holidays the decor will be based on a “Winter Woodlands” theme through the generous use of greens, bulbs and birds mixed with family ornaments.
The Home of Peter Brehm and Jack Day
306 West College Terrace
The home was built in 1922 by Dr. Ridgeley Baer and his wife Helen. At the time he was a prominent doctor in Frederick. The alley behind the house is named in his and his family’s honor.
The house is a masterpiece of craftsman bungalow style. Note the thick insulating walls, four-foot roof overhang around the house and rafter tails that protrude, and array of windows allowing in sunlight. The front porch spanning the width of the house is 10′ deep – one of the largest in Frederick. All the doors in the house (except the back door) are original to the house, as is the mantel.
It was built as a single-family home for the Baer family, then the basement was converted into an apartment for Dr. and Mrs. Baer. The Baer family continued living in the space for several more generations, at which time the house was carved into three apartments. In 2014 the prior owners hired an architect and returned the first and second floors to a single-family dwelling, opening up the ground floor rooms into a sweeping open space and retaining the original oak floors, with the basement functioning as a potential second living space. Jack and Peter bought the home in 2020.
Whitaker Interiors has decorated this home for the Holidays, with assistance from Freesia and Vine, a Frederick floral shop.
The Home of Roxanne and Gary Frank
17 W. 2nd Street
The exterior of this 1839 two-story, brick townhouse features the original fire insurance plaque, leaded glass surrounding the front entrance, and beautiful architectural trim above the doors and at the roof peak.
The entrance foyer has rare Minton floor tiles and interior leaded/stained glass doors. Follow the hallway past living room pocket doors to a beautifully curved wall, and a twenty-one-step stairway with a large cherry Newel post. To the left, a sitting room and library features floor-to-ceiling walnut bookshelves and a modern gas fireplace. The living room features accent trim, a fireplace, and a 19th-century brass chandelier converted from kerosene.
Other architectural details include original internal recessed privacy shutters on the front windows, oak and pine flooring, a remodeled kitchen with a coffered ceiling, and a dining room/kitchen area that has recently been opened.
Items of interest in the home include two antique walnut wardrobes with carved features, numerous antique lighting fixtures, a China teacup collection, and pottery made by Liz Lescault, Gary’s sister.
The holiday decorations are a traditional combination of live vegetation within a green, red, and white theme. The Christmas tree decorations include antique ornaments from Roxanne’s mother and grandmother. Tasker’s Chance Garden Club worked with the homeowners to decorate.
NOTE – Masks are requested to be worn by the homeowners and will be furnished at the door.
The Home of Geb and Jane Byron
205 East 2nd Street
The house dates to 1846 when Judge Madison and Josephine Nelson purchased the property from John and Eliza Tehan. He was a master builder who helped build St. John the Evangelist church and many joint houses on 2nd Street. They lived at 215, the oldest house on 2nd Street.
In about 1920, a cable roof was raised in back, the third floor was added, and the house was converted into apartments. Presently there are four kitchens in the house, some very small. It remained apartments until it was sold to John and Starr Laughlin in 1981. The back room, which had previously been an outbuilding, was opened into the kitchen by the Watson family before John and Starr purchased it. Then the Laughlins launched into major restorations including all the plumbing, heat, electric, and insulation of the walls.
In 1986, Forrest and Ginny Weight purchased the house and maintained it with few changes. In 2020 the Byrons bought the house and since then have updated the bathrooms and kitchen, in addition to other indoor renovations. Outside the home they added the patio and charming arbor.
Of note is the jib window through which you can see the tree, as well as numerous paintings by Jane throughout the home which are the inspiration for the contemporary holiday décor courtesy of the homeowners and the Garden Club of Frederick.
The Home Russ Hodge & Cynthia Scott
The Gaslight Gallery
118 East Church Street
The original home was built in 1810. Gaslight House was previously The Old Bopst Home and later, the Bopst-Gates House. Stylistically the house is of the Italianate style but was originally early Victorian and built is several phases.
Nearly every wall, at some point, was the end of the house. As a result, the ceiling heights from the front to back of the house are not matched, creating the “second and a half floor”. Today there are about fifteen rooms, and The Gaslight House now is home to Cynthia Scott and Russ Hodge, the Gaslight Gallery, and 3 Roads Communications.
The Gaslight Gallery is the formal front room and original dining room that once housed an antique store. H. I. Gates used the Gallery and former dining room as his studio and gallery. The current owner also uses this space, with its original ceiling, as her studio.
The floors are solid heart pine and have been painstakingly returned to their original luster. The tall window shutters fold into pockets, which were original to the house. The doors throughout the house are also all original, including the front door, which has been repaired in sections over time.
Of note: the bricks currently in the patio area were once part of an old driveway.
Holiday décor courtesy of Green-walled Garden Club who are taking inspiration from exhibiting artist Isabel Manalo.
