Apalachicola historic tour of homes this weekend

This upcoming weekend is shaping to be an exciting one for the City of Apalachicola, a community renowned for its succulent seafood and historical homes.

In fact, due to its many historical structures, in 2008 the city was selected one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Kicking off the weekend will be a tour of those historical structures, including museums and parks.

Sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church, the 18th Annual Historic Apalachicola Home & Garden Tour will begin at 5:30PM on Friday, April 30 with an Evensong followed by a lecture at 6:30PM given by Faith Eidse, award-winning author of Voices of the Apalachicola.

The actual tour will begin on Saturday, May 1 with homes opening for visitors from 10:00AM - 4:00PM. Tickets will go on sale for $20, prior to the tour at 9:30AM. For an additional $10, you can enjoy a gourmet lunch from 11:00AM - 2:00PM inside Trinity’s Benedict Hall. A silent auction from 10:00AM - 3:00PM will also be part of the events of day.

The featured home selected for this year’s tour is a Second Empire style bay-view mansion owned by Susan and James Bachrach located a 115 Bay Avenue. The home sits atop a gentle rise and provides magnificent views of Apalachicola Bay.

The original house, featuring high ceilings and tall dormer windows on the ground floor, was built in 1885. The gabled tower, added in 1999, emphasizes the Second Empire style. The bright, airy rooms display family antiques, colorful art and stylish furnishings.

For more information on the 18th Annual Historic Apalachicola Home & Garden Tour, please contact Trinity Episcopal Church at (850) 653-9550 or the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce at (850) 653-9419.