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Highland historic tour a holiday hit

John Renick (right) gives a tour of the Church of the Ascension during the Highlands Historic District Holiday House Tour in Middletown Sunday evening, December 6, 2009. The event also included six historic homes in the neighborhood. Contributed photo by Jessica Uttinger

Jessica Uttinger/Contributing photographer John Renick (right) gives a tour of the Church of the Ascension during the Highlands Historic District Holiday House Tour in Middletown Sunday evening, December 6, 2009. The event also included six historic homes in the neighborhood. Contributed photo by Jessica Uttinger

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Community members tour the 2700 Superior Avenue home during the Highlands Historic District Holiday House Tour in Middletown Sunday evening, December 6, 2009. The event included six historic homes to be toured and one church in the neighborhood. Photo by Jessica Uttinger, contributing photographer

Jessica Uttinger/Contributing photographer Community members tour the 2700 Superior Avenue home during the Highlands Historic District Holiday House Tour in Middletown Sunday evening, December 6, 2009. The event included six historic homes to be toured and one church in the neighborhood. Photo by Jessica Uttinger, contributing photographer

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By Lindsey Hilty, Staff Writer 11:05 PM Sunday, December 6, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — Luminaries and Christmas lights brightened homes in the newly formed Highland Historic district Sunday, Dec. 6.

The Holiday House Tour was the first of its kind and attracted hundreds of spectators, committee member Kay Langdon said.

“These houses are such an important part of Middletown history,” she said.

The house tour surrounded the Church of the Ascension on McGee Avenue, built in 1929.

A recently formed historic district, Highland is the second recognized in Middletown, organizers said. The tour highlighted six homes in the neighborhood, which was founded in the 1890s.

One hostess, Sondra Ross, said the neighborhood is special because no two homes are alike. She and her husband Fred Ross decorated their 1942 brick home to highlight their Jewish faith and heritage. Neighbor Meg Hammis of Connections to Quality designed a display of blue and white for Israel along with other Jewish symbols.

“I think (the tour is) representing neighborhoods coming back together again — neighbors who are proud of where they are living and neighbors helping neighbors,” Hammis said.

Peggy and Jim Trimble opened their 1927 English Tudor home. They said decorating was a process from keeping the cat from eating the poinsettias to getting a giant live Christmas tree to fit.

“We started early, and I had a lot of unfinished projects in every room for a while,” Peggy Trimble said. “We had 40 years worth of decorations that I used a little here and there. This year, I used everything I ever had all in the same year.”

Helen Stevens-Gleason of Middletown said she was impressed with the displays.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “The houses are just so welcoming and beautifully decorated for the season. I think we need to appreciate our historical homes.”

After touring homes in Hamilton for its annual Christmas Walk in German Village, Marie Pence of Germantown said she headed to Middletown.

“Everything I’ve seen has been great — gorgeous,” she said. “I like to see the houses and what everybody does. I guess I’m nosey.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5067 or lhilty@coxohio.com.

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