Holiday house tours offered at Winterfest

HAWLEY — Visitors to the annual Winterfest celebration in Hawley will have the opportunity to tour five unique 19th century homes decked out in holiday splendor on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visitors begin the walking tour at the Hawley Municipal Building on Main Avenue, where they pick up their official Holiday House Tour map. The houses on this year’s tour include: The Middle Creek House, a home built in the early 20th century that features many Victorian elements; The Beemer/Grosweiler House, an 1850 farmhouse cottage; The Finch House, built in 1925 by Arthur Finch on land that belonged to a member of a religious sect called the Christadelphians; The Plum House, built in 1898 by Dr. Henry Plum and his wife May for their home and his medical practice; and The Warren House, built around 1850 by the Pennsylvania Coal Company. When tour participants pick up their maps, they’ll get information about a scavenger hunt being held in conjunction with this year’s house tour. If they correctly identify which house has which item on the list, they will have the chance to win a gift basket. After the tour, participants can stop in the café at the corner of Church and Penn streets to enjoy complimentary refreshments. Tickets cost $15 if purchased in advance and are available at the Settler’s Inn, Hawley Public Library, Poindexter’s, Miss Elly’s Antiques and Penny Lane Candies and Candles. On the day of the tour, tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at the Hawley Municipal Building. A portion of the proceeds from the Holiday House Tours will go to the Hawley Public Library and to the Downtown Hawley Partnership’s revitalization effort. For further information, call 570-226-4064. The 10th annual Hawley Winterfest runs from Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14. For a complete schedule of events, including special lodging packages, visit www.hawleywinterfest.com .