Dust to Dazzle Tour - June 29, 2024

Save The Date: our tour will be the last Saturday in June. More information on the tour will be coming soon.

Dust to Dazzle 2023 – A Walk in Walkerville

A church, a deli, and a hoist house go on a tour. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. But this was no joke. These were three of the seven featured properties of this past June’s Dust to Dazzle tour. The theme of the tour was “A Walk in Walkerville,” and the properties were close enough together that guests could literally walk to each destination.

The church is the St. Lawrence O’Toole at the crest of Main Street. The church was erected in the late 1890s and by the mid-1980s was slated for demolition due to declining population. Thankfully the town of Walkerville saved the St. Lawrence from the wrecking ball. It is used today for weddings and other gatherings. It retains much of its grandeur with frescoes on the walls and stained-glass windows.

The deli is the Caplice & McCune building, also on North Main Street. This building has undergone many transitions ranging from a general store to a Methodist church (when the gothic-style windows were installed). The past few years have seen extensive gutting, remodeling, and structural improvements by the current owners, who plan to return this space to its roots and open a deli/mercantile in 2024.

Sandwiched between the church and the deli is the Lexington Mine Hoist House, also on North Main Street. This building invoked many memories of a time when the underground mines were industriously hoisting miners and ore up and down the mine shafts. Mining ended at the Lexington in 1957, but the hoist house and its equipment are almost completely intact. Other than a little dust over the decades, it appears as if the last miner just closed the door and walked away.

Two lovely homes are located at the west end of Walkerville on Daly Street. The John and Mary Rich house, built in 1906, is an example of late Victorian architecture. It was occupied by the Riches until 1925, and then by William and Bessie Richards and their descendants until 1990. At that time Pat and Jan Munday took ownership and have thoughtfully maintained and upgraded the house.

Across the street is a charming small bungalow, built around 1917 with an impressive view of the Summit Valley. The Northam family were the first owners, and a member of that family lived in the house until 1979. It has been recently updated yet has kept its historical charm.

A simple miner’s cottage in the 100 block of Daly Street was one of the first homes in Walkerville. In fact, it still retains original 1880s logs in the front section. This home is a major work in progress as it has been completely gutted, but is on its way to being a viable home in the near future. Behind this house, and on the same property, is what many will remember as the workshop for the Santa Claus of Walkerville. Jim Worthem portrayed Santa Claus for decades and decorated the building with lights and Christmas-themed painting. It too is awaiting rebirth.

Lastly, guests were able to tour a prominent brick duplex currently being resurrected. This building served as a hospital for a short time but also was rental property as well as a home to the Carpenter family who raised 10 children in it. This building had fallen into desperate times, but the current owner is bringing it back to life.