Mission Hills Heritage’s Twelfth Annual Historic Home Tour
“Colonial Revival Style Homes in Mission Hills”
by Janet Worthey
The Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego features a rich variety of early 20th century architectural styles built during the neighborhoods rapid growth. This year, Mission Hills Heritage is showcasing the Colonial Revival style. Merely hearing the term Colonial Revival evokes visions of earlier east coast Colonial homes of white wooden structures or perfectly positioned and often grand red brick homes with well-kept green lawns and graceful trees. In wintertime, smoke swirls and billows from chimneys atop snow covered roofs as the distinctive scent of wood-burning fireplaces fills the air.
Since San Diego rarely encounters true winter weather, duplicating the feel of an east coast winter during Colonial times would be a challenge. However, Mission Hills was fortunate to have had talented local architects and builders as well as those who migrated to San Diego, designing and building approximately seventy-five Colonial Revival homes. Between 1922 and 1925, a need for veteran housing provided incentive for building most of the smaller Colonial examples. Soon after, the passing of the War Preparedness Act of 1935 allocated millions to restore and expand San Diego’s military facilities, creating thousands of jobs and spawning a patriotic fervor. Many larger, more impressive examples of Colonial Revival were built during this second boom which lasted through the 1940s.
Mission Hills Heritage (MHH) warmly welcomes you to the Mission Hills Twelfth Annual Home Tour to view both the exterior and interior beauty of this historic American style. A few notable characteristics of classic Colonial style include paired chimneys, bay windows, and Greek columns framing a centralized entry door.
Participants will be greeted by Mission Hills Heritage docents who will accompany tour guests through each home sharing intriguing information. As an additional feature this year, there will be a special tour of the 1915 historic Mission Hills United Methodist Church, a significant landmark in Mission Hills. The tour is self-paced and the homes can be visited in any order. Please note that the distances between the homes will likely require driving.
Mission Hills Heritage is looking forward to sharing with you this year’s fall Home Tour, and we invite you to come and experience how San Diego architects and builders who applied the Colonial Revival style to San Diego at Mission Hills Twelfth Annual Historic Home Tour.
The Home Tour takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, September 24. The ticket office will be at the Mission Hills United Methodist Church located at 4044 Lark Street, San Diego, CA 92103 (corner of Fort Stockton and Lark St.). Ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. The will call and ticket sale tables will be at the church. Refreshments will be served in the Social Hall of the church from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Advance ticket sales are $20 for MHH members, and $25 for non-members. Advance tickets may be purchased online at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2589193.
Day of tour ticket sales are $25 for MHH members, and $30 for non-members (cash or checks only please).
This is an example of one of the many Colonial Revival homes that exist in Mission Hills. (Photo is courtesy of Stephanie Stewart.)
For will-call, advance ticket sales, times, and additional information, please visit www.MissionHillsHeritage.org, email info@MissionHillsHeritage.org, or call (619) 497-1193.
Category: Entertainment, Events, Local News
