Friday, February 14, 2025

Azalea Fest home tour offers look at 170 years of architecture

This one-and-a-half story Greek revival cottage on S. Fourth St. is one of nine homes featured in this year's Azalea Festival Home Tour. Photos courtesy N.C. Azalea Festival.
This one-and-a-half story Greek revival cottage on South Fourth Street is one of nine homes featured in this year’s Azalea Festival Home Tour. Photos courtesy N.C. Azalea Festival.

The Port City’s rich and varied architectural history is the focus of this year’s annual Azalea Festival Home Tour.

Tickets are on sale now for the upcoming tour, slated for April 11-12, which will feature nine homes and one church spanning nearly two centuries of design styles.

The homes exemplify classic Wilmington architecture, including craftsman bungalow, Greek revival, Foursquare and English Cotswold. And the Basilica Shrine of Saint Mary provides an example of Spanish Baroque style. The tour will also feature a Brookwood neighborhood home. Late last year, Brookwood was announced as Wilmington’s eighth National Register District.

Related story: Wilmington’s Brookwood neighborhood earns national historic status

Built in the early 1900s, the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary Catholic Church stands as a classic example of Spanish Baroque.
Built in the early 1900s, the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary Catholic Church stands as a classic example of Spanish Baroque.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and Jonathan Barfield Jr., Chairman of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, along with the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles, will kick off the tour with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. April 11 at the MacRae-Willard House, 520 Orange St.

Described as “a cubical cottage in the Tuscan style,” the home was built circa 1851 for politician, foreign diplomat and Civil War Veteran Col. Duncan K. MacRae.

Tours will run from 1 to 6 p.m. April 11 and 1 to 5 p.m. April 12. The Basilica Shrine of Saint Mary is open from 1 to 5 p.m. April 11 and 2 to 5 p.m. April 12.

Tickets are $25 in advance and are available at the Azalea Festival Office, 5725 Oleander Drive, as well as at Historic Wilmington Foundation’s office at 2011 Market St. (just inside the gate of the Wilmington National Cemetery). Foundation members can buy tickets from the office for $15 through April 10.

Tickets are also available at Maran Home, The Ivy Cottage, Crabby Chic, The Transplanted Garden, Occasions, Cape Fear Antiques, A Proper Garden, Gravity Records and Wild by Nature in Southport. Tickets are on sale at all local Harris Teeter stores ($2 off with a VIC card). On the days of the event, they will be available at any house on the tour for $30.

Tickets purchased online will be mailed via U.S. Postal Service. Online ticket sales will end at 5 p.m. April 6.

Proceeds support the Historic Wilmington Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that has helped preserve more than 100 historic properties since 1966.

Tour sites:

  • MacRae-Willard House, 520 Orange St.
  • Hovis House, 326 S. Fourth St.
  • Brickhouse Cottage, 503 S. Front St.
  • William Cooke House, 321 S. Fourth St.
  • Allen-Woodward House, 406 S. Third St.
  • Alvy R. Hardwick House, 102 Borden Ave.
  • Martin L. Stover House, 1813 Princess St.
  • James D. Nutt House, 1802 Chestnut St.
  • Swinson-Dowe House, 1609 Grace St.
  • Basilica Shrine of Saint Mary, 412 Ann St.

Click here to see pictures of the homes and further descriptions.

Related Articles