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Peoria's 2025 Holiday Home Tour: Six Historic Residences Open Their Doors

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  Published in House and Home on Monday, November 17th 2025 at 4:37 GMT by Journal Star

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Peoria’s 2025 Holiday Home Tour: Six Historic Residences Open Their Doors

Every year in mid‑November the city of Peoria becomes a living museum as six of the region’s most treasured homes open their doors to the public for a special holiday tour. The 2025 edition, announced by the Peoria Historic Home Tours (PHHT) organization, invites visitors to step back into eras ranging from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, while supporting ongoing preservation efforts and local historic‑society programming.

The Tradition Behind the Tour

The holiday home tour is more than a novelty; it’s a cornerstone of Peoria’s cultural calendar. Initiated in the early 1970s, the event has grown from a handful of houses into a city‑wide showcase featuring architectural gems that span the Victorian, Prairie, Colonial‑Revival, and Craftsman styles. In 2025, the tour will run from the afternoon of Friday, November 17, through the evening of Saturday, November 18. The event is free for the public, though a suggested donation of $5 per adult or $3 per child is encouraged to help fund the maintenance and restoration of the historic properties.

PHHT, in partnership with the Peoria Area Historical Society, the Peoria City Museum, and a handful of community volunteers, coordinates the tours. The organization handles logistics such as securing permits, arranging guided walking routes, and ensuring each house’s safety. The tour also provides educational materials—brochures, audio guides, and docent‑led talks—so visitors can learn about each property’s significance in the broader context of Peoria’s development.

The Six Homes and Their Stories

The 2025 tour features the following residences, each located in a different Peoria neighborhood and representing a unique slice of the city’s past:

1. The John H. Bledsoe House – 1234 N. 3rd Street

• Architectural Style: Queen Anne Victorian
• Built: 1894
• Historical Note: Bledsoe was a prominent local lumber magnate. The house is noted for its intricate spindlework, stained‑glass windows, and sweeping porch. Inside, original woodwork and period furnishings illustrate the opulence of the Gilded Age. The PHHT guide points out the family’s role in supporting Peoria’s early civic institutions.

2. The Ellen M. Mendenhall House – 567 W. Jefferson Avenue

• Architectural Style: Prairie School
• Built: 1911
• Historical Note: Designed by renowned architect Walter Burley Griffin, this home is a textbook example of the Prairie movement’s emphasis on horizontal lines and integration with the surrounding landscape. The house’s original floor plan has been preserved, offering insight into early twentieth‑century domestic life. Mendenhall, a local philanthropist, used the space to host charity galas for decades.

3. The William S. Sloat Estate – 890 S. 6th Street

• Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
• Built: 1925
• Historical Note: The Sloat Estate showcases symmetrical facades, brick detailing, and a grand staircase that once welcomed presidents and dignitaries to Peoria. The estate’s gardens were meticulously maintained by the Sloat family and have been restored for the tour. The PHHT staff highlight the estate’s connection to the 1920s boom in Peoria’s manufacturing sector.

4. The L. J. Lutz Residence – 345 N. Birch Street

• Architectural Style: Craftsman Bungalow
• Built: 1930
• Historical Note: A modest yet striking example of the Craftsman style, this home emphasizes natural materials and hand‑crafted details. The Lutz family, early residents of the West Peoria area, played a key role in establishing local educational programs. The tour focuses on the home’s original kitchen and the “family‑style” layout that remains intact.

5. The H. R. “Harry” Thompson House – 211 W. Oakwood Boulevard

• Architectural Style: Tudor Revival
• Built: 1941
• Historical Note: This property demonstrates the Tudor Revival’s steep gables, half‑timbers, and leaded windows. Thompson, a former state senator, used the house as a gathering place for civic discussions during the war years. The house’s historic furnishings, including a wartime radio set, help paint a picture of life in the 1940s.

6. The Margaret and Robert G. Clark House – 702 S. Elm Street

• Architectural Style: French‑Style Eclectic
• Built: 1952
• Historical Note: The Clarks were early adopters of modernist influences in Peoria. The house’s wrap‑around porch, wrought‑iron balconies, and stone façade exhibit a blend of French chateau elegance with modern practicality. The property includes a small but exquisite garden that mirrors early‑post‑war trends in suburban landscaping.

How to Experience the Tour

PHHT provides a detailed map and schedule, which participants can download from the organization’s website (https://www.peoriahome.com). The tour is structured as a self‑guided walk with optional docent visits. Each property’s entrance opens at 1:00 p.m. on Friday and at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, with the last house closing at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle, comfortable shoes, and a notebook for jotting down observations. The PHHT team offers a free guidebook containing historical anecdotes, photo captions, and a brief biography of each homeowner. For those interested in a deeper dive, select homes provide an extended audio tour, featuring interviews with local historians and former residents.

The event also includes a small holiday market outside the Lutz Residence, where local artisans sell handmade ornaments, hot cocoa, and homemade preserves. This market offers a festive atmosphere that reflects the holiday spirit while supporting small‑business owners.

Why the Tour Matters

The 2025 holiday home tour is not just a chance to admire architecture; it’s a community‑building exercise that emphasizes the importance of heritage conservation. Each house is maintained through a combination of volunteer labor, community donations, and sponsorships. The tour’s proceeds are earmarked for:

• Restoration Projects: Funding necessary repairs to roofs, windows, and foundations.
• Educational Programs: Developing school‑age curricula that bring local history into classrooms.
• Public Engagement: Hosting workshops on historic preservation techniques and adaptive reuse.

PHHT’s president, Laura Martinez, emphasizes that “the tour allows us to share the stories embedded in these walls with new generations.” By inviting the public into these private spaces, the organization hopes to foster a sense of stewardship and pride in Peoria’s historical landscape.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 edition of the holiday home tour continues the tradition that began over five decades ago. The PHHT plans to expand the event next year by adding a seventh property—a historic church turned community center—if funding permits. They also aim to introduce a mobile app that offers augmented‑reality overlays, letting visitors see how the homes looked in different seasons.

For those planning a visit, it’s advisable to arrive early, as parking can become limited by the time of the day. Several public transit routes (Peoria Transit District bus lines 4, 6, and 7) stop within walking distance of the tour’s route, providing an eco‑friendly alternative to driving.

In sum, the Peoria 2025 holiday home tour is a vibrant celebration of the city’s architectural heritage, a fundraiser for ongoing preservation, and a community event that bridges past and present. Whether you’re a history buff, a design enthusiast, or simply in search of a festive outing, the tour offers an engaging way to experience Peoria’s past in the present holiday season.