HWNA Holiday Homes Tour

Schneemeyer Home (The Darby Home)

2011-11-29T10:42:00.000-08:00

1220 Hoel Parkway

This home was originally built in 1926 as a Dutch Colonial style. It was purchased shortly thereafter by Harry Darby Jr. (1896-1987). Darby founded The Darby Corporation, which built naval landing craft used in the Normandy invasion in World War II. Darby was appointed a U.S. Senator in the late 1940s and was a close friend and campaign manager of President Dwight Eisenhower. Interstate 635 is named for Senator Darby. A remodel in 1947 by Senator Darby converted the home to Colonial Revival style, including 17 rooms and more than 6,000 square feet, not including the basement. It features two kitchens, several parlors, eight bathrooms, five fireplaces, and an elevator.

Clark Home

2011-11-29T10:14:00.000-08:00

2413 Nebraska Court

Note: To reach this home, drive to 24th Street at Nebraska Avenue and park on either of these streets. Look for the stone entrance to the court on 24th Street. Walk through the entrance, along the sidewalk, to the last home on the left.

In 1924, the Hoel Realty Company developed Westminster Court, consisting of five houses and two duplexes arranged facing an interior pedestrian court. Access to the garages was provided by a peripheral alley. This residential court was unique for its time in Kansas City. Both the court and the architecture of the individual structures were derived from the English Garden Movement, with its simplification and idealization of English late medieval architecture. The two-story, wood frame and stucco homes were designed by architects Courtland Van Brunt and Edward Buehler Delk. Delk had recently returned from a lengthy visit to England. Delk also developed the original concept for the Country Club Plaza, 1922, and the Starlight Theatre, 1951.

Kessinger Home

2011-11-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

2417 Everett Avenue

This 1931 English Tudor home is a blend of Old World and Victorian charm, lovingly cared for by Ms. Kessinger, the owner, a retired professional decorator/designer. Visit this home and return to an era when homes were filled with peaceful and loving energy. You'll feel as though you've stepped back in time when you enter the whimsical kitchen and see the 1921 cooking stove and refrigerator — both are in working condition and used frequently. Additions to the home include pantry cabinets with roll-out shelves, a rolling butcher block and a new kitchen floor. Outside, new rock retaining walls were built along the driveway. Other features include a fireplace, a prayer and meditation room and a peaceful sunroom. Every room has been creatively redecorated in Global Bohemian Design, a style where old and new, fantasy and reality playfully intersect. There's a hint of magic used with wallpaper and faux painting throughout. This style of decorating will amaze you and perhaps inspire you to come live here yourself — this home is for sale.

Muller Home

2011-11-29T09:39:00.000-08:00

1508 North 21st Street

This home is a two-story, all brick Colonial, built in the 1930s. Mr. Muller says, “We were looking for something different when we found Westheight Manor. We immediately fell in love with the unique architecture, amazing trees, and the quirky neighbors made us feel at home right away. It wasn’t difficult to imagine how people used to live in these homes and we decided to adapt ourselves to the house by listening to music, spending quality time with family, and skip most of the modern things that seem to complicate people’s lives. Our home is traditional, mostly original, with hardwood floors, handmade cabinetry, and more closet space than we’ve seen in a house. This will be the third Christmas in our home, and our decor will be a fun and interesting mix of items passed down from our families.”

Hepworth Home

2011-11-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

2012 Oakland Avenue

This Tudor-Revival home was built in 1927 by Hoel Realty Company. Three neighboring homes all share the same floor plan, but each has a unique exterior. This home, while Tudor in nature, lacks the more traditional brick work and half-timbering in favor of an all-stucco exterior. While much of the interior has been updated to modern standards, the original character and design are still intact.

The current owner has spent the past several years repainting the entryway and hall, the dining room and the living room. In addition, the damaged hardwood floors on the main floor were replaced with pre-finished solid oak flooring. Most recently the staircase was dismantled and reconstructed using as many of the original parts as possible. The owner has a small collection of international artisanship on display around the main floor of the home — most notably a pair of brass lamps brought from India more than 40 years ago, and a small collection of masks brought from Mexico and Guatemala. The interior boasts an eclectic theme, encompassing Modern, Asian, and Hispanic design cues that reflect the owner’s tastes.

Starbuck Home

2011-11-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

2000 Washington Boulevard

Originally the Dr. C. J. Sihler residence, this home was constructed in 1923 by the firm of Defoe and Carroll. The prolific Westheight architect, Victor J. Defoe, is most associated with the house. Later the home was occupied by the Dr. H.E. Regier family from the mid 1930s until 2003, when it was purchased by the current resident.

In the May 22, 1921, edition of The Kansan newspaper, Hoel Realty announced Dr. Sihler “purchased 100 feet of Twentieth and Washington Boulevard and will build a stone and tiled roof bungalow of the airplane Japanese type to cost $30,000.” In the 1990 Westheight Historical Inventory, Cydney Millstein describes the house as “a two-story, Arts and Crafts bungalow, stucco on wood frame with stone veneer on its lower portions.”

The interior floor plan remains mostly original. The maid’s quarters were made part of the kitchen, and the upstairs ballroom was renovated into a master bedroom suite. The French doors to the sun porch had been removed in the 1950’s when the porch was incorporated into the living room. The Starbucks found the French doors and reinstalled them, defining the two areas and becoming one of the focal points of the main floor.

Kirkwood Home

2011-11-29T09:25:00.000-08:00

1829 Washington Boulevard

This is a Spanish Colonial Revival style home that was built in 1922. Mr. Kirkwood purchased this two-bedroom home in December 2005. He says, “I fell in love with the detailing above the front windows of the home that match the terra cotta roof. There are beautiful hardwood floors throughout the home. The crown molding and built-in bookcases around the fireplace were also a great selling point for me. The arched entryways through the main rooms of the home and the double sets of French windows in the living and dining areas give this house a very light and spacious appeal.

“I love the diverse home styles in this neighborhood and I am excited to share my home with you on the 2011 Holiday Homes Tour. Happy Holidays!”

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

2011-11-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

1300 North 18th Street

St. Paul's Episcopal Church was founded in 1857 and is older than both the city of Kansas City, Kansas, and the state of Kansas. St. Paul's rich historical and cultural legacy continues to be a vital presence in and resource for Westheight and Kansas City. We incarnate and live out the gospel and the good news of God's presence and power through our worship, our hospitality and fellowship, our community partnerships and our outreach ministries — including the Saturday Breakfast at St. Paul's and St. Paul's Neighborhood Pantry.

All are Welcome at St. Paul's — the Home of the Grinning Gargoyle! Come and Serve! Come and Participate! Come and Celebrate! Come and Worship! Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.!

2011-10-31T17:02:00.001-07:00

Westheight Holiday Homes Tour

2011-10-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

Sunday, December 11, 2011

1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Kansas City, Kansas

Off North 18th St., west on Washington Blvd.

Tickets: $10

Seven homes in Westheight Manor will be dressed up for the holidays and ready for company! Visit a quaint 1930s English Tudor home, a Spanish Colonial Revival home, a unique Japanese Airplane Bungalow and an English Garden residential court! Other styles in the area include Arts & Crafts, Italian Renaissance and Spanish Eclectic.

In addition, the 152-year-old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, at 1300 North 18th Street, will be open for touring. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the tour at the church.

Visitors will also see a demonstration of ice carving by a professional ice sculptor.

Westheight Manor is listed as historically significant in the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

Sponsored by Historic Westheight Neighborhood Association
www.westheightmanor.org
For information call 913 - 371-3495.