Enjoy the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned holiday celebration in Historic Albany, Oregon. This years tour will feature 6 historic homes which have been lovingly restored and beautifully decorated for the holidays, as well as a loft apartment in a downtown commercial building and a newly constructed “Salt Box” style home in North Albany . Along with the homes on tour, you may visit the Whitespires Church, The United Presbyterian Church, the Albany Regional Museum, the Monteith House Museum, the Carnegie Library, the Carousel Art Studio and Dentzel American Carousel Museum.

Entertainment includes:
• Gayle Clady on piano and Marsha Fisher on viola performing in costume at the Presbyterian church.
• Mid-Valley Prelude Sinfonia will also provide musical entertainment at the United Presbyterian Church
• The Monteith House Museum will be lit by oil lamp and fire light.
• Take a moment to enjoy the fire lit in the Carnegie Library. It is the only time all year this fireplace is used and it creates a soft warm glow that transcends time.

Trolley and Horse Drawn Wagon
Marks Ridge Percherons will take you through the Historic Monteith District Neighborhood tour and the vintage trolley will be making rounds as well. The newly constructed Salt Box is in North Albany, across the Willamette River, a map and directions are included in your ticket. Although the house is new construction, it has been created in keeping with a traditional Salt Box style and decorated appropriately. You will not want to miss this one.

Ticket Sales
Purchase your tickets at the Two Rivers Market located at 300 SW 2nd Ave in Historic Downtown Albany. ticket sales are inside the market right in front of the Albany Visitors Association so you can also follow the Visitor Information Signs to find your way. Ticket sales begin at 1pm and continue until 6pm. The tour hours are 2pm to 7pm. Music, refreshments, horse-drawn wagon rides, and vintage trolley rides are all included in the $10 ticket price ($8 for seniors and groups of 10 or more). Well-behaved children under 12 are admitted free with a paid adult. Proceeds benefit historic community projects.

Take Your Time
This tour is self-guided. You can tour the homes in any order you like. Spend as much or as little time at each location as suites you. Transportation is by your own vehicle or by horse drawn wagon and trolley. Several of the buildings are within walking distance of each other. Visitors usually take 3 to 4 hours sometimes more.

Special Events:
Sybaris will be hosting their annual Dickens Lunch – a very special lunch. This award winning restaurant is located in an historic commercial building. Reservations are required. For more information contact Matt Bennett owner of Sybaris 928-8157.

Teas are available by reservation at Charms of Tea (541) 928-9475

Find unique gifts in antique & specialty stores. Taste holiday treats in one of the many eateries in Historic Downtown Albany. Many of the downtown shops and restaurants will be open on tour day

The Christmas Parlour Tour is put on by Albany’s Historical Interior Tour Committee. It was created by a group of friends and neighbors to share the past through the architecture of historic dwellings.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Summer Tour of Historic Homes and Buildings, held the last Saturday of July each year. The 32nd Annual Summer Tour will be held July 26, 2009