History of the Tour
In 1973, the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes was envisioned and begun by three individuals—assisted by many others of course—but essentially the “baby” of Ann Rosteet Hurley, Reid Tyler, and Bill Terry.
At Bill Terry’s memorial service, stories were recounted of how the three “conspired” to showcase houses in what was then called “the Garden District”. Ann and Reid were locally born and bred, Bill was from Houston. The three saw that this area had an immense inventory of older houses that could be wonderful homes for couples and families. They saw the beauty and charm in real craftsmanship, front porches, mature plantings, and sidewalks. They also knew the lure of the new subdivisions drawing people away from traditional neighborhoods.
They concocted a tour in spring, on Palm Sunday when the azaleas would be in bloom, to encourage the public to re-think old houses and prove that they had charm and worth.
Suggestions and "Rules of the House" for Palm Sunday
To enhance your tour experience, we offer some suggestions along with the "Rules of the House."
After obtaining your ticket, you may begin your tour at any of the homes on the tour, and you may choose the order in which you visit the properties. All are within walking distance of each other. However, should you require assistance to get from house to house, courteous cart-drivers will provide the wheels to your next destination.
Docents will admit and assist you in navigating through the property. Should you encounter a long line at one house, consider visiting another house on the tour until the line is not as long.
Please observe the following "Rules of the House":
Docents will strictly enforce the following:
- Interior photos are not allowed.
- Please wear comfortable shoes without spike heels which can damage floors.
- Food and drink are prohibited in the houses on Tour.
- No smoking or tobacco use of any kind on any of the private property on tour.
- Please, no baby strollers inside the homes.
- Some parts of the home are private and are not on tour; please respect the homeowners’ wishes and do not ask docents “for a peek” behind closed doors, upstairs, or past ribboned hallways.
- Please be careful when negotiating stairs. Many historic homes have different levels.