Welcome to the annual Clifton Historic House Tour! If you have joined us before, you know the treat in store for you. Some of Clifton's many historic homes are open one Sunday a year so that visitors from all over the city and surrounding regions can appreciate their exceptional architecture and environments.
Founded over 150 years
ago, Clifton was from its inception home to influential citizens, including
wealthy industrialists and politicians. These early Clifton residents built
their houses in a variety of styles, from stone mansions to quaint cottages
surrounded by acres of garden. Drive down any street in the historic area and
you'll find sturdy German-influenced brick homes rubbing shoulders with Queen
Annes and Tudors, Italianate palaces overlooking Dutch colonials, and arts and
crafts style homes peacefully coexisting with medieval revival mini-castles.
Preservation
is important to Clifton residents. Though some homes have deteriorated over
time, many have been refurbished and renovated to their former glory. Residents
who own outstanding properties like the Victorian pictured at the right have
proved themselves willing to pay the sometimes high costs of restoration and
maintenance to preserve the area's history.
Refurbishment doesn't stop at the front door. Many Clifton homeowners have restored interiors, as much as is practical, to their new state. This means rescuing beautiful moldings that were wrenched off and thrown behind the furnace decades ago, uncovering original fireplaces, hanging authentic wallpaper patterns, removing many layers of paint from woodwork, refinishing floors, and restoring windows. These are not easy jobs, but the results are rewarding.
Clifton is fortunate to have historic homes built by some of the pre-eminent architects of the past two centuries, including Samuel Hannaford and Frank Lloyd Wright. You might drive past these homes every day without knowing their rich and varied histories. Why not join us and learn more about the neighborhood and the homes that make it special.
