The Mount Airy Restoration Foundation is committed to the preservation of local historic buildings and maintaining the William Alfred Moore House.  The Foundation will host the thirty-sixth annual Holiday House Tour on Saturday, December 7th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday, December 8th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Tour is a self-guided tour of the William Alfred Moore house and 8 additional locations. This annual event is the main fundraiser for the Foundation.  Beginning the week of November 11th, tickets will be available at the Visitors Center in historic downtown Mount Airy, NC.

The Moore House is available for event rentals through December 21st.  Numerous small groups have already scheduled their Christmas get-togethers and office parties.  For those interested in joining the Foundation or hosting a gathering during the holidays, please contact the Foundation at themoorehousemtairy@gmail.com or 336.325.8248.​

The William Alfred Moore House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and was purchased in October, 1992 by the Mount Airy Restoration Foundation.  
The Moore House, built c. 1860, is the oldest known remaining residential building within the city of Mount Airy. The house exhibits a combination of Victorian and Italianate stylistic features and on the interior, Greek Revival features.  The Moore House sits on a little more than 4 acres of wooded and landscaped land, adjacent to downtown Mount Airy.   Located in the front lawn of the Moore House is an outstanding circa 1865 rustic hexagonal summer house, with arched door and window openings  constructed with wood poles and intervening laurel root walls, and a shingle roof.  The furniture inside the summer house includes a settee, chair, and table with laurel root base and plank top.  This structure is one of only 2 such laurel root structures in the U.S. 
The three local garden clubs, Garden Gate, Modern Gardeners, and Mountain View, design and create decorations for the house and grounds of the William Alfred Moore House around a common theme.  This year the theme is “An Antebellum Christmas at the Moore House.”    The clubs use a mixture of live and artificial greenery and locally sourced products to decorate the home in period appropriate decorations.  It’s important to note that the decorations created are meant to be something that any visitor could view and then take the idea to their own home and recreate. “The Tour wouldn’t be as successful or as meaningful, if it weren’t for the three  garden clubs! The creativity and beauty that the garden clubs provide is invaluable. The gardeners beautify the Moore House for this fundraiser, which helps the Moore House and our community.  For many people, this Tour is a tradition that jumpstarts the Christmas Season”, stated Brian McPeak, President of the Foundation.

 

The Gertrude Smith House, located at 708 North Main Street, adjacent to the historic downtown, is on the tour each year as well.  This home was built in 1908 and is also on the National Register of Historical Homes.  This Victorian-Colonial Revival home contains period antique furnishings and artwork. The house is operated by the Gilmer-Smith Foundation. The staff at Gilmer-Smith, while staying true to the wishes of benefactor Gertrude Smith, surprises and delights guests with their decorations.  This 2 store home is an architectural treasure, featuring furniture and artwork collected from around the world during Gertrude’s career.  Whether showcasing a collection of teacups or nutcrackers, the decorations are always aspirational and entertaining. 

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The Edwards Franklin House, located at 4132 Hay stack Road was built in 1799 by Gideon Edwards, a local leading planter and Staten senator. Later, Meshack Franklin, a landowner, politician, and a member of Congress, occupied the home. Franklin remodeled the home in the Federal style of the late 1820's, which included decorative painting meant to imitate marble on the paneling, mantels and staircase. The house is open to visitors the second Saturday and Sunday during April through September from 1pm to 5pm.

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The Kirby House, located at 418 Cherry Street

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The Johnson House, located at 1916 North Main Street

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The Trombley House, located at 1026 North Main Street

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The Minton House, located at 400 West Pine Street

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The Free House, located at 138 Plantation Place

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The Timmons House, located at 511 Bennett Street

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The Tyndall House, located at 348 Folly Farm Circle

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Cross Creek Country Club, located at 1129 Greenhill Road

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The Molleur House, located at 102 Greystone Lane​                         ​​

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This tour is made possible due to the support of our thoughtful homeowners and our generous sponsors.

 

The sponsors for the 2025 Tour are First Community Bank, This N’ That Catering, Busy As A Bee Home Improvement LLC., Oak Grove Self-Storage and Car Wash, Creative Designs Flowers & Gifts, Airmont Florist, F-Rees Ladies, J’s Office Supply & etc., Simcon General Contractors, B-Dazzle Productions, GodsChild Records, The Harbour

House in Dobson, NC, and Keswick Candle Company.

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Tickets are now available at the Mount Airy Visitor Center.

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