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Spring Home, Garden Tour this weekend By Claire Maxwell May is National Preservation Month across the United States and the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society is celebrating historic preservation in Taylor with a Spring House and Garden Tour Saturday and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. Six landmark historic houses dating from the 1870s to the 1930s will be featured along with three very creative gardens. Advance tickets will be available for $12 at Frills, 203 W. Fourth St., until Friday. On the days of the tour, tickets will be available for $15 at the Governor Dan Moody Museum, 114 W. Ninth St. Proceeds support historic and cultural preservation projects in Taylor. The tour starts at the Moody Museum, where tickets may be exchanged for a tour map. Built in 1887 by James Robertson, the Moody Museum was bought by the first mayor of Taylor, Dan'l Moody, and his wife Nannie. Governor Moody and his sister Mary were born in the downstairs bedroom, where an 1810 quilt and 1860 bed brought from Tennessee are featured. The museum is one of only two governor's birthplaces in Texas open to the public today and is the only one that is still furnished almost completely with original furnishings. A beautiful garden now flourishes where the Moody family once ran a family dairy. Across the street, the Talbot Street Bed & Breakfast started out as a two-story Victorian home built by Taylor pioneer Henry Seiders in 1889. On New Years Day 1931, a fire destroyed the top floor and the house was rebuilt as a bungalow by recycling original material. After three generations of ownership by Seiders' descendants, current owners Claire and Bill Maxwell bought the property in 2001 and used the same principle of recycling in the restoration of the home and garden. Special features of the property include original woodwork, artisan stained glass, cottage garden and the oldest live oaks in Taylor. The Victorian Rose at 1003 W. Seventh St. was built in 1904 by H.C. Foster. From 1919 until 1955 it was home to Ira Prewitt and his family, who owned a hardware store on Main Street until the 1970s. Dale and Randy Ricklefs began a major restoration of the house in 1998 and in 2005 it was purchased by Angela and Neal Kopit, who, along with their three sons, are landscaping the grounds with a garden and play area. The house features outstanding woodwork and stained glass windows. The Hetherington Home at 1809 W. Lake Drive was built in 1935 by the owner of a Taylor lumber yard. It became home to the Don Smith family in the late 1940s and a second story was added in the early 1950s. Brian and Judy Hetherington purchased the home from the Smith family in 2000 and have done extensive renovations. Brian is a master gardener and the front and back gardens feature roses, native plants and vegetables. Construction on the Clark Mansion at 2112 W. Lake Drive was begun in 1876 and completed almost two years later by Crawford H. Booth, a Union officer in the Civil War. “Cap” Booth was a founder of the Taylor National Bank and the St. James Episcopal Church and the donor of 30 acres for the Taylor Fair Association, where a popular race track drew horse and buggy races from all over the country. The Booth's daughter Bessie and her husband Lycurgus Nelson continued the tradition of horse racing and training. John E. and Eunice Clark Jr. purchased the home, where they raised their family and were noted for their entertaining. Daughter Sherry Clark Nichols now owns the home. With its distinctive dome, the Clark Mansion is a landmark in Taylor and features Louisiana long leaf pine and black ebony in its staircase, woodwork and parquet floors. Stained and beveled glass highlight the windows. The Taylor Mansion at 2109 E. Fourth St. was built in 1878 by Taylor pioneer John R. Hoxie as part of the 5,000 acre Flag Springs Ranch. In the early 1900s, the Allison family renovated the home, which became noted for its many parties and social events. In 1978 James and Louise Qualls purchased the property and completely restored the mansion. The Qualls' son Tracy and his wife Traci married at the mansion and in 2005 purchased the property. The home sits on 50 acres east of Taylor and features large wraparound porches and an open air pavilion next to the swimming pool and spa. Victorian details highlight the decor, making it once again a special place for parties and entertaining. Jordan and Paula Talley at 1806 Carey Ave. in the Hills of Mustang Creek have been developing their garden for the past two years. Working with the native mesquite trees on the property, they have added tropical plants such as palms and banana trees along with blooming ornamentals. The H.L. and Barbara Farrell garden at 310 Cherrywood Circle is 10 years old, covers a half acre and includes a pond, swimming pool and three decks. The landscaping includes all types of blooming plants and especially dwarf varieties for easy maintenance. Geary and Jennifer Meixsell's cottage garden at 1606 McClain blends decorative and edible plants to feed the family and native birds and butterflies. Chickens are an added attraction to the garden, which was started five years ago.
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