Charlestown house tour is Sept. 25

Every other year the Charlestown Preservation Society presents an historic house tour, reintroducing neighbors and visitors alike to the uniqueness of the town, a one-mile-square neighborhood that was first settled in 1629.

A year later, the band of Puritans, led by John Winthrop, left Mishawum for Shawmut.

This year’s tour, to be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, will feature eight houses representing a wide range of house styles, from an 1840 worker’s cottage to a single-family Greek Revival mansion.

Some of the elegant houses have been converted to condominiums, and yet the smaller spaces are still grand.

 Charlestown Fire House No. 50

The tour presents a much different image of Charlestown from what is depicted in the newly released crime thriller, “The Town,” based on Chuck Hogan’s book, “Prince of Thieves.”

The action-packed film written, directed and starring Ben Affleck reinforces a faded, gritty stereotype of Charlestown inhabitants, and viewers should keep this in mind: This is fiction.

Today, Charlestown is home to more than 15,000; many are long-time residents and others are newcomers. More than half of the housing stock of about 8,000 homes was built more than 70 years ago.

(After the Battle of Bunker Hill, the British burned the oldest section of Charlestown to the ground, and significant reconstruction did not begin until after the end of the war.)

One of the homes that will be open for the tour features an expansive living room with fabulous views.

This year’s tour will showcase homes that were constructed during the 19th century in various styles – Greek Revival, Georgian Revival and Italianate Mansard/Second Empire. Some of these styles overlapped, and elements from one period often were incorporated into the design of another.

In the condominium conversions, visitors can see original architectural elements like beautiful marble mantelpieces, crown molding and fine woodwork that were preserved while the homes were provided with new kitchens and baths and other contemporary amenities.

The tour will start at the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club at 15 Green St., where a silent auction will be held throughout the day. 

A post-tour party at the clubhouse from 4 to 6 p.m. will conclude the daylong event. A free trolley will shuttle tour goers to the various homes.

Tickets in advance are $20 for members and $25 for non-members; on tour day they will be $25 for members and $30 for non-members.

The tickets can be purchased online at www.charlestownpreservation.org or by mail by sending a check to CPS, P.O. Box 290201, Charlestown, MA 02129.

Local florists and real estate offices are selling the tickets as well.

A hidden garden offers another “room” during the warm weather for one of the first condominiums in Charlestown.

The tickets, along with tour booklets with a detailed map, will be distributed at the clubhouse on tour day. The booklets are keepsakes as they not only provide a bit of Charlestown history but also detail the style and characteristics of each home.

This year, the historic Charlestown Fire House No. 50 will be open for inspection as part of the tour. Built circa 1853 by Isaac Cushing, the brick Georgian Revival building originally faced Soley Street and opened onto a stable yard. In 1917, it was reoriented toward Winthrop Street.

Its architectural details include cast stone arches, tall windows framed by Doric pediments and pilasters and ornamental swags on the façade and, inside, a pressed tin ceiling, tile wainscoting and, of course, the brass fire poles. In addition, antique fire equipment will be on display especially for the tour.

Proceeds will be used to help preserve Charlestown’s architectural heritage and quality of life, including college scholarships for Charlestown students and grants to community organizations as well as major preservation projects, such as the restoration of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Training Field.

This monument, created by Martin Milmore between 1871 and 1872, honors Civil War veterans. It is steps from the firehouse.

The Charlestown Preservation Society was founded in 1967 to halt destruction of some of the most historic buildings in the name of urban renewal.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Training Field, near Fire House No. 50, honors Civil War veterans. Martin Milmore was the sculptor.

Through those early efforts, the Warren Tavern and the Federal houses around the Thompson Triangle were saved.