The Richmond Hill Holiday Tour of Homes, scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Dec. 4, will feature the Ford Mansion in the Ford Plantation.
The historic main house was automobile magnate Henry Ford’s winter estate. The house, which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places, sits atop a bluff overlooking the Ogeechee River.
The mansion will be open during the tour. While the tour of homes is self-guided, transportation will be provided for the Ford Plantation portion of the tour.
In addition to the Ford Mansion, three private homes will be open for the tour: a cottage constructed in Richmond Hill Village during the Ford era; the riverfront home of Steve and Vickie Myers in Mill Hill; and the traditional “Savannah” home of Jim and Denise Martin.
The Richmond Hill Historical Society Museum will serve as the starting point for the Ford Plantation tour and this year will feature the recently relocated Bailey Carpenter’s Barber Shop. Carpenter’s tools, licenses and equipment along with the barber chair Henry Ford bought will be available for viewing.
Magnolia Manor on the Coast joins the tour this year, featuring “holiday memories” artwork of Richmond Hill High School art students.
St. Anne’s Catholic Church, a longtime member of the Holiday Tour of Homes, will offer a holiday tea in the church hall after the church portion of the tour.
The Historic Bryan Neck Presbyterian Chapel and Church House will be open for touring. The present building was built on the site in 1885. In 2010, the interior and exterior of the building were completely restored and celebrated for the 125-year anniversary.
Advance tickets for the tour are $30. Tickets purchased the day of the tour are $35. Tickets are available at the Richmond Hill Museum at Route 144 and Timber Trail. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The tour of homes is a biennial event that benefits five nonprofit organizations in Richmond Hill: the Richmond Hill Garden Club, Friends of the Library, Richmond Hill Historical Society, Arts on the Coast and the St. Anne Council of Catholic Women.
For more information, call the museum at 746-3697.