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Nothing harbingers spring and summer better than the rash of house tours in our fair city.
Pull out your calendar and start inputting dates.
May 14: The Central West End Association's 2011 House and Garden tour of six of the magnificent mansions located on Lindell. I would be hard-pressed to meet the person in this city who hasn't gawked and gazed at those houses as they have driven by. I confess that of all the house tours, this is the one I try never to miss. And this is the first time in 20 years that the Lindell homes have been featured. Above are two you can stroll through. Time: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tickets are $25; members of the Missouri History Museum can purchase them at the museum for $22. But for those who can't wait until the doors are open to the public, there is a preview dinner party the night before from 6–9 p.m. at the History Museum. Tickets for the event are $95 each. For more information, 314-367-2220, thecwe.org.
Other events to add to your calendar:
May 7: Ladue Estates Open House and Tour presented by ModernSTL. This too is a definite must see. Sponsored by ModernSTL, an organization created to save some of the city's finest examples of modernism, has organized a walking tour of the the first mid-century modern subdivision in Missouri to rank a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. From 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Tickets: $10 (or $5 for ModernSTL memebers). For more information: modern-stl.com
May 15: The big, BIG Tour. Not your regular house tour but here's your chance to check out the city's residential properties that are currently for sale. The starting point is starting point is the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools, located at 4011 Papin (just south of the eastbound Hwy 40 / I-64 off ramp onto Vandeventer). Free. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information: bigbigtour.org.
June 4: Lafayette Square Spring Home & Garden Tour, Mississippi and Lafayette avenues. For more information: lafayettesqr.com
June 11: Spanish Lake Garden Tour. Starting at the Twillman House, the tour features 11 private and three community gardens. Time: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.. Tickets: $10. For more information: spanishlakemo.org.
June 12: St. Louis Garden Tour 2011. Brought to you by the Missouri Botanical Garden, this is a must-attend for anyone who loves to garden. Visit eight private gardens. The tour only comes around once every three years. Held rain or shine, it runs from 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Tickets including bus transportation and a box lunch are $75. The buses board at the garden at 9 a.m. Self guided tickets are $50. For more information: 314-577-5180, mobot.org.
July 23: Hanley House Herb Tour, Hanley House Herb Tour. Visit one of Clayton's oldest houses, built in 1855. 7600 Westmoreland. Time 11:00 a.m. For more information, call 314-226-9893,
Christy Marshall, editor-in-chief, St. Louis AT HOME
