Tour five historic homes in Owego!


Tour five historic homes in Owego!Pictured is a home located at 396 Front St. in Owego, N.Y., and one of five homes that will be featured on the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier (PAST) walking tour scheduled for Sept. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.pastny.org. Tickets are $20 for PAST members and $25 for non-members if purchased by Sept. 5.  After Sept. 5, tickets will be $25 for PAST members and $30 for non-members. Provided photo.

The historic village of Owego, N.Y. will be the setting for a home tour on the second Saturday in September.

Hosted by the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier (PAST), the annual event, a walking tour, is scheduled for Sept. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. The annual tour rotates through communities in Broome and Tioga Counties.


Tour five historic homes in Owego!
Pictured is a view of the library at 396 Front St. in Owego, N.Y. Provided photo. 

PAST works to preserve the heritage within Broome and Tioga Counties by promoting and protecting places of historic, architectural and cultural significance, and promotes their mission via education and special events. 

Individuals who purchase tickets for the Owego tour will be shown five historic homes.

Tickets are $20 for PAST members and $25 for non-members if purchased by Sept. 5. After Sept. 5, tickets will be $25 for PAST members and $30 for non-members.

Terry Van Hall, a PAST board member, and her husband, Richard, will welcome guests to their 396 Front St. home during the tour.

Terry remarked, “The committee thought Owego would be a great choice for the 2019 tour!”


Tour five historic homes in Owego!
Pictured is a view of the parlor at 396 Front St. in Owego, N.Y. Provided photo. 

Another popular home tour in Owego that is held during the holiday season is hosted by the Tioga Arts Council.

PAST, with over 400 members, hosts a Garden Tour in June and a Spirits Tour in October, among other events and efforts, such as awarding educational scholarships.

As guests tour each of the five homes, intriguing facts will be highlighted, to include history of influential residents and architectural points.

The Van Hall’s describe their home as, “A Second Empire Style built in 1867 with a mansard roof and Italianate influence.” 

For example, an early resident of the Van Hall’s home was John J. Taylor and his wife, Emily (Laning). A native of Massachusetts, Taylor was a Harvard graduate and moved to Owego in 1834. He married Emily, the daughter of General John Laning and Mary Ann (Hollenbeck) Laning, in 1837. The home remained in the Taylor Family until the early 1940’s. 


Tour five historic homes in Owego!
Pictured is an annunciator located in the kitchen at 396 Front St. in Owego, N.Y., a bell system used in the late 1800’s to alert servants or butlers of resident needs. Provided photo.

Taylor was a lawyer and the Tioga County District Attorney from 1841 to 1843. He represented the county at the 1846 constitutional convention and was a member of the 27th Congress in 1852-1854, among other notable achievements. The Taylor’s now rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Owego.

The Van Hall’s commented, “Original to the house, we love that the fireplaces and many of the chandeliers were intact,” adding, “The butler’s pantry survived with its original sink and built-in drawers.”

Interestingly, the kitchen at the 396 Front St. property features an annunciator, or a bell system that alerted the butler or servants when a resident needed assistance or when a visitor was at the front door.  

“The annunciator is a cool piece of the past that reminds us of a different world,” Terry said, adding, “Actually the house hasn’t changed much since it was built.”

A water-holding reservoir housed in the attic for two bathrooms no longer functions, yet the attic, Terry chuckled, “Came with a quarter-court basketball hoop set-up!”

For more than two decades, the Van Hall’s have been working diligently to improve several aspects of the home, including the original windows, four porches and lighting fixtures, along with chimney repair.

“Richard has been the scaffold guy,” Terry said, adding, “With six chimneys, it has been a huge project lasting over five years.”

The historic home tour starts at the Tioga County Historical Society Museum located at 110 Front St. in Owego and covers approximately 1.7 miles via Front and Main Streets. Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes that can be easily removed since they will be asked to wear booties while inside the homes.

Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.pastny.org. Tickets will not be mailed, but can be picked up at the museum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the day of the tour. Tickets will also be sold at the museum. If you have questions, call (607) 237-0887.  

4 Comments on "
Tour five historic homes in Owego!"

  1. When the Frames owned the home back in the 60’s we did indeed shoot baskets up in the attic.
    ~~
    Seem to remember at the time Matthew Frame had cancer and Jesus appeared in his room and cured him…

  2. I’m the second oldest of the seven Frame children who were growing up at 396 Front St until 1966. Yes, we really did play basketball in the attic. Best house ever for hide and seek! Matt, the oldest, did experience a miraculous healing from the childhood cancer that nearly took his life, but it was a number of years before we moved to Owego. And though it is an amazing story for another day, it did not involve visions or apparitions, just desperate prayer and the kindness of God, complete with before and after x-rays.
    An amazing house filled with wonderful memories.

    • Anne Schaeffer | October 24, 2021 at 11:30 am | Reply

      Margaret, I live at 384 Front. Do you remember my house in the years you lived at 396? If so, I’d love to be in touch.

  3. Are there going to be tours of any historic homes in Owego coming up in the near future? I would love to have this opportunity.

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