By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Tickets are on sale now for the Adams County Christmas Home Tours scheduled Dec. 13-14 in Berne and Decatur.
Tickets are $20 per person and are available at the Next Page Bookstore in Decatur and the Berne Chamber of Commerce.
The Adams County Historical Society and the Berne Chamber have organized the event set for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-14, from 1-6 p.m. both days.
There will be eight stops on the tour, as follows:
* The Dugan Mansion/Museum in Decatur.
* The Pennsy Train Depot in Decatur.
* The home of Rick and Emily Sovine above their Next Page Bookstore in Decatur.
* The historic Yager House at 246 S. Second St. in Decatur.
* The Limberlost Cabin in Geneva.
* The Matt and Mackenzie Billington home, 262 Lehman St. in Berne.
* The Trace and Lee Howard home, 305 Dearborn St. in Berne. * The Swiss Heritage church and school, Berne.
HAILED IN 1898: One of the stops on the tour will be at the Matt & MacKenzie Billington home in Berne.
Originally hailed in 1898 by the Berne Witness as “the most beautiful and costliest house in Berne”, the Victorian home has a long history of transformation, according to information provided by the historical society and Berne Chamber.
Designed by Emmanuel T. Haecker and built by C.C. Wittwer, the residence once boasted seven rooms, two butteries, eight upstairs apartments and ornate towers.
Over time, the house alternated between apartments and a single family dwelling before falling into disrepair, abandoned and ransacked.
The Billington’s purchased the home in a 2013 tax sale facing a huge project with a rotted foundation, stolen wiring and a collapsing roof.
The Billingtons have restored the house to honor its Victorian charm while expanding it into a modern family home.
Today, the home spans over 6,500 square feet with five bedrooms, a theatre, pool and play area for their children. They approached the renovation in stages to remain debt-free, documenting the journey on social media as they brought new life to one of Berne’s most storied homes.
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