By Chris Basinger, Staff Reporter
TRUSSVILLE–The Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation is set to hold its Second Annual Heritage Days event next week.
Following the week of festivities–including outdoor painting, Trussville Jeopardy, and quilting workshops–the public will get the opportunity on Sunday, April 21, to walk through three homes rich in Trussville history.
According to local artist and foundation president Amy Peterson O’Brien, each of the three houses are only on their third homeowner since they were constructed, allowing much of the original features of the homes to be preserved.
“Each of these homeowners are only the third homeowners to live in these homes,” O’Brien said.
“It speaks to how much families have loved living in these homes and how these homes have served those families over decades and generations.”
During the tour, the homeowners will be present at their respective houses to share their knowledge and their love for the craftsmanship, character, and sturdiness of the homes they live in.
The first house being featured has been dubbed “Cottage Charm.”
The cottage style home is located in the Cahaba Project neighborhood and was built in 1938.
It was originally under 1,200 square feet but has since been renovated to include an additional 900 square feet of space to make room for family members and storage.
Also in the Cahaba Project is the second house being featured called “The OG,” built in the 1930s.
“[The OG’s] homeowner grew up in this neighborhood, lived catty-corner to the house, and so now when she sits in her favorite spot in the house, which is the front porch, she’s looking at the trees and much of the same view that she experienced when she was a child,” O’Brien said.
The house, which features a hallway decorated with photographs of Trussville lifted from the pages of “Images of America: Trussville” by Sandra Bearden and June Mathews, also maintains its original footprint–at least for the moment.
“This homeowner does plan to add on, but she was gracious enough to be on the tour this time to allow guests to come and see it in its original footprint,” O’Brien said.
The final home on the tour is the Hickman-Yarbrough House, famously known as the oldest standing home in Trussville, located just north of the Cahaba Project.
The house, currently owned by Joni and Dave Parrish, dates back to the 1850s and is being called “Antebellum Belle” as part of the tour.
“That home still has a lot of the original floors, walls, windows, I believe, most of the 10 original fireplaces,” O’Brien said.
“It has the original stone wall along the side of the house that was quarried from right there on that property, and you can see the iron pegs in the wall are still there and those were used to tie horses to.”
With the house standing for as long as it has, visitors will also be able to see how it has been modernized over not just one, but two turns of the century.
“It’s just kind of a hallmark of time, as it were, in a very historic property like that,” O’Brien said.
Tours will run continuously on Sunday, April 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and are available through the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce’s website.
Ticket sales will go toward supporting the creation of a Daffodil Trail in Trussville’s Historic District.
All tickets must be picked up at the check-in table at Cahaba Elementary School where attendees can park for free during tour hours.
Accent Limo will shuttle guests to the homes on the tour and then back to the school parking lot every 15 minutes.
All ticket holders who purchase their tickets before April 21 will also be entered into a drawing for a raffle basket filled with prizes and gift cards from local businesses valued at around $750.
A full tour through the three homes is expected to last around one hour.
Historic Homes Tour tickets can be purchased here: https://trussvillechamber.chambermaster.com/events/details/heritage-days-home-tour-1658?fbclid=IwAR0P21S2PPpyZ-fYHbbrx4MS0IC3UxYvV6bJqtO36LojVKjHh2vHpCdbDKQ_aem_AbyPuCxYbPceHNMVUhad3UZPbh6QUUYnNJf6UY8maLIOc2_HL_VCFAF4kPNHHS9N1X8XZ0ffAfZXgZIo7w5RrtfE