The West Liberty Business Association announces the upcoming West Liberty Christmas Tour of Homes, which returns Saturday, Dec. 9, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Tickets will be for sale in advance and the day of the tour at The Town Hall, 201 N. Detroit St. West Liberty, or the day of the tour at The Chamberlain Home located at 1111 E. State Route 296.
Tickets are $20 per person. If you purchase your tickets on Event Brite in advance, you will still need to pick up your actual ticket at the Town Hall.Proceeds from the tour benefit West Liberty community events.
The tour will include eight stops this year, three within the village limits and five outside of town.
Inside the Village are the Town Hall, The Peoples Savings & Loan Company and the Poland Home. Outside of the village are the Longaberger Home, the Bodie Home, the Chamberlain Home, the Sells Home and the Red Hawk Ridge Retreat Airbnb.
1. The Town Hall’s restored second floor Opera House. There will be live music from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Opera House, including Bill Purk & Friends, Bellefontaine High School Varsity Choir, West Liberty Salem High School Varsity Choir, the Cole girls and the West Liberty First Church of God.
Trolley rides will be available between the tour stops inside the village. The local restaurants and stores will stay open late.
If you stop in each store, you will be entered in a drawing for Liberty Bucks for your Christmas shopping needs.
2. The Poland Home, 309 E. Newell St.: The homeowner said the charm of the cute story and a half home is what initially attracted her to it. Her favorite room is the living and dining room in the center of the home.
The home is full of mementos, such as the quilt on the bedroom wall hand stitched by her cousin, the cabins which nod to her father’s maple syrup business, and numerous handmade cabinets made by her late husband.
3. The Peoples Savings & Loan Company’s West Liberty branch, 110 N Detroit St: The bank was founded in 1890 in West Liberty, and they have been in this location since 1995.
The new loan department just opened in their expanded space in 2023.
This location was originally built as a bank building in 1895. The discovery of the wall mural during their remodeling this year predates the building. It has been beautifully restored. Other notable features include the beautiful tin ceilings and original vault.
4. The Longaberger home, 9348 County Road 47: This home was also included in the 2023 Summer Garden Tour.
The family was fortunate enough to build their dream home here in 2019. They used reclaimed barn wood from a local barn to build their oven vent hood and outdoor table on the back porch.
Their favorite room in the home is the downstairs bathroom because of its black walls, floral artwork and acrylic features with gold accents.
The master bathroom is another favorite feature with the tile walk-in shower, antique claw foot tube, and crystal chandeliers. The downstairs is also built around a unique pantry featuring two large wood antique display cabinets from a clothing store in Bellefontaine.
5. The Bodie Home, 4193 Sullivan Road: Chris is retired from International Harvester and has lived here for 20 years. She loves restoring old houses and bringing them back to life.
The home was built by Parker Sullivan (1782-1852) in the early 1800s. Sullivan Road was named after him. Chris’s favorite room in the home is the kitchen, where she can see outside from every angle. Her favorite feature is the east porch. She enjoys spending time there watching sunrises, and the crops moving like ocean waves.
6. The Chamberlain Home, 1111 E. State Route 296: Lee and Heather and their family have resided here since 2012. The home was originally built by Charles and Barbara (Woodruff) Patrick.
The stately manor of the home and the size is what first attracted the Chamberlains to the home. The stone exterior and the front room with staircase and double chandelier sold them on the property.
Heather said she loves the woodwork and hardwood floors as well as the front room. They love to host parties of all kinds. Another interesting feature is the Vegas style master bedroom suite.
7. The Sells Home, 4547 Ludlow Road: the owners Richard and Connie (Crabtree) Sells have lived here since 1988, but the family history goes back further. Connie’s parents bought this farm in 1942, a year before Connie was born. She grew up on the farm with her four siblings, milking dairy cows and farming the surrounding land.
Her brother, Sam, still farms it today. In 2022, the Sells property was hit by a tornado, and they lost the dairy barn. The other structures on the property sustained much damage as well.
Connie used that unfortunate turn of events to fix up the old milk house into a “she shed” retreat that she has been enjoying all year. Her favorite room in the home is the kitchen and her new stone patio. Connie and Dick have hosted many Crabtree and Sells family get togethers over the years.
• The Red Hawk Ridge Retreat Airbnb, 1338 State Route 507: owned by Tom and Malia Hughes, both local Realtors and real estate investors. They purchased the home a little over a year ago and eventually decided to turn it into a short-term rental. Their favorite feature of the home is the wraparound porch. The home sleeps 10 guests.
Corporate sponsors of the event this year include Sloan Insurance, Logan Lawn & Landscaping, Theresa’s Gingerbread House, The People’s Savings & Loan Co, Green Hills, Blackbird on the Mad River, Solomon’s Garage, MCC Thrift Store, Fathom Realty, Country Friends of Ohio, Civista Bank, Pop’s Uniquities, Metz Roofing, Logan County Chamber of Commerce, PDQ IT Solutions, Mad River Farm Market, Holdren Brothers, Bell Hankins Realty, King Feed & Supply, Jones Country Store, Paul’s Catering, Bobbi’s Bungalow, West Liberty Lion’s Club, Hickory Medical, Dragonfly Winery, Boyer Bookkeeping, The Pet Clinic, Dorcey’s Flowers and Elle A Design.
