By Amy Batista, Special Writer
BORDENTOWN CITY — The Bordentown Historical Society sponsored its annual Holiday House Tour on Dec. 13.
”Everyone really enjoyed it,” said Patti DeSantis, chairwoman of the tour, in an email Tuesday.
People came from all over New Jersey due to the Downtown Bordentown Association doing ads on 101.5 radio for the past two weeks, she said.
”We had a big crew who came up for tour from Cape May,” she said.
The tour was held from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. It was self-guided, and there also were guided tour options available.
Tickets were $15, and there were 230 sold, according to officials.
”The money raised will be use for the Quaker meeting house and the Clara Barton one-room schoolhouse,” she said.
She said the tour has been occurring for more than 25 years.
”It started years ago when some members went to Savannah, Georgia, and did the house tour there and brought it back here for a fundraiser for the society,” she said.
For her, the highlight of the tour was how homeowners shared their homes and traditions.
There were seven homes featured, including some new ones, and 12 stops, she said.
”The tour went all over Bordentown,” she said.
”The Holiday House Tour seemed like a huge success this year,” said Carrie Wainwright in an email. She participated in the tour.
”I think the weather really helped us out,” she said.
She said there were a lot more attendees this weekend.
”I know it’s the most important fundraiser all year for the Historical Society so that’s really good news,” she said.
The Pechts opened their house to the public.
”My husband, Robert, and I got involved in the house tours first by being active members in the Historical Society,” said Stephanie Pecht in an email Dec. 16. “We volunteered to help during the tours first. Then, as the renovations to our home began to evolve and finish, we put our home on the tour.”
She said each year on the tour, a new renovation or redecorating project had been completed.
”This was our fourth time on the tour over a 10-year period,” she said.
For her, the highlight of the tour is hearing the stories of the people who have taken the tour before and remember the Pechts’ house before they had done one or more of the projects they have since finished.
”Additionally, I let them know what projects we will be starting next,” she said. “We’ll probably be on the tour again in two to three years after our planned projects are completed.”
She said she would like people to know that “your house does not have to be perfect to be on the tour.”
She said, “The best part of being on the tour is showing off how much our home has changed and evolved between house tours.”
Karen and Chris Hofrichter said they became involved in both an effort to support the society’s preservation of the Friends Meeting House and to open their home to people who are curious to see inside some of the old houses in town.
”We love to look at old homes ourselves and know many others feel the same,” said Ms. Hofrichter in an email Tuesday. “Besides, when you live in a home that is 170 years old, you are really more of a temporary caretaker than an owner, and it should be shared.”
She said they have participated in the tour before.
”It was a wonderful experience to share our home with so many people who were truly appreciative,” she said. “It felt like hosting a holiday party to a couple hundred neighbors. The old architecture really becomes magical when you add candles, Christmas decorations and music.”
For her, the highlight was talking to visitors, mostly because so many of them had a story to tell.
”The only regret on an evening like this is not to have enough time to spend with them,” she said.

