The Lambertville Historical Society will host its 32nd Autumn House Tour on Oct. 19 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
"Last year Forbes Magazine cited Lambertville as one of the country’s prettiest towns and this summer Travel+Leisure magazine found it to be one of America’s quirkiest. Whatever category you put it in, Lambertville is worth seeing – its beautiful homes and tree-lined streets always invite strolling," said a spokesman.
This year’s tour includes five historic homes, some new to the tour, as well as seven additional sites. Below is a sampling of what participants will see:
HOMES:
— A 1873 Victorian with Italianate influences was beautifully restored over the past year by its new owners. Their love and pride in the home continues the care of the original family, which kept it through multiple generations for 100 years. The eclectic furnishings include many items original to the house.
— Built around 1847, one of the homes began its existence as a gristmill and was repurposed as a carpentry shop and stables, a meat market and a paint store.
Made of post and beam construction, popular for large buildings in the 18th and early 19th centuries, it features hand-hewn oak beams with mortise, tenon and peg joints. The building was finally saved and converted into a two-family home in the early 1990s.
— Another house was built in 1868 as a grand duplex in a mix of federal and Victorian styles with Italianate accents, commonly termed vernacular. The large pediment or triangular framing at the top roofline is shared with both sides, and is gracefully picked up again in the detail of the small attic window and second story center two windows. A large front porch originally graced the entrance but after being gone for many years, was restored in the 1980s.
— This smart-looking 19th century vernacular duplex was constructed about 1873 for the son and daughter of celebrated Lambertville builder Cornelius Arnett. The house remained relatively unchanged until 1995 when substantial renovations were undertaken. A colonial revival porch featuring round columns with Doric capitals offers an uncluttered welcome to this elegant town home.
— Behind the custom-built Victorian front door lie treasures in a circa-1890 worker’s home. Located on a quiet lane, the small gem (less than 1,000 square feet) contains a lifetime of memories, art, antiques and found items reflecting a travel diary of the owner’s lifelong wanderings and passions.
ADDITIONAL SITES are properties that, in one way or another, provided support services to the city’s residents. Here are a few of the seven on the 2014 tour. Each has undergone significant renovation and restoration:
— Lambertville Hall — Philip and Sarah Marshall, the parents of James Marshall who is celebrated as the discoverer of gold at Sutter’s Mill in California in 1848, were two of the five founders of the original church built on this site in 1825. The cornerstone of the present Romanesque Revival Style, the former Baptist Church was laid in 1868. After it relocated to a smaller facility, the nonprofit Bridge Street Foundation purchased the building and undertook major restoration and repairs. It now serves as an educational center for students of the arts. This year marks the repurposed building’s first year on the Lambertville House Tour.
— Bridge Street House Gallery & Guest House — A vernacular with Italianate influences built circa 1850, this was originally a semi-detached townhome and became a bed and breakfast in 1983. It has recently gone through a major transformation, including restoration of the building’s façade repainting with period colors. It is now a guesthouse with four rooms and an associated contemporary art gallery in front and the artworks are also principal components in the décor of each of the guest rooms
— Gary C. O’Connor, Architect, LLC — Commercial activity at this location dates back to the late 18th century when boats on the Delaware River pulled up to the shore laden with lumber and supplies. This building, constructed around 1915, originally housed a sausage factory and, more recently, an art gallery. During the last year, the space has been totally revamped to meet the needs of its current occupant, a design studio.
The tour is self-guided. Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 on the day of the tour) and can be purchased online at www.LambertvilleHistoricalSociety.org. Tickets also can be bought at the Marshall House, 60 Bridge St. (weekends 1-4 p.m.) or directly from some local merchants — Blue Raccoon, City Market, Homestead Farm Market, Lambertville Trading Company, River Queen Artisans Gallery, Phillips’ Fine Wines in Stockton and Farley’s Bookshop in New Hope.
Free parking and shuttle bus service will be available on the day of the tour.
The bus will continuously loop from the Lambertville-New Hope Rescue Squad parking lot behind the headquarters at 70 Alexander Ave. (off of Phillip-Barber Road) on to City Hall every 15 minutes from 10:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.
Visitors also can park in residential areas or at parking meters that are in effect on Sunday from 1-9 p.m.
For more information and driving directions, call 609-397-0770 or visit www.LambertvilleHistoricalSociety.org or e-mail [email protected].

