Spray's 200-year-old home on tour
The home of Michael and Elisa Spray, 3050 Country Club Hills Drive, is one of seven homes featured on the 22nd annual North Augusta Christmas Tour of Homes, sponsored by Beta Sigma Phi and scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5.
In addition to the Spray home, also on the tour are the homes of Marcus and Rachel Covar, 116 Woodstone Way; William and Susan Rowland, 351 Osprey Point; Kenny and Rachel Franklin, 819 Carolina Ave.; Chris and Anna Peppenger, 308 W. Forest Ave.; Dennis and Joyce Jackson, 24 Crystal Lake Drive; Lynn Brisson, 451 Railroad Ave.
The Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta, 100 Georgia Ave., will be open for refreshments and a rest stop for tour goers. The gift shop will be open for Christmas shopping.
The Spray home, purchased in 2005, was built in the early 1800s. It was the former residence of the Whatley family. The original 1,600-square-foot home, located on the front of the property under a large magnolia, needed extensive renovations. The home was moved to the center of the property to accommodate the addition of a master suite and garage, both designed by the owners. Also, a walk-out basement was added. The original 33-foot, 10-by-10 hand-hewn beams, joined by wooden pegs, are left exposed in the basement ceiling and still support the original foundation of the home. The house was stripped to the original stud wall beams and the tin roof removed and replaced with a modern metal roof during renovations. The living room and office feature original heart pine walls and floors. The wood walls and ceilings, previously hidden by years of paint and paneling, were removed and refinished by the Sprays and their family. Pages of a ledger dated January 1847 and a Farmer's Almanac from 1858, found in the floor upstairs, are displayed in the home.
A candlelight tour is set for Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Saturday tour hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A brunch and fashion show will be held on Dec. 5 at the First Baptist Church fellowship hall at 10 a.m. Tickets for the brunch are $10 and must be purchased by Wednesday, Dec. 2. The fashions will be provided by Coldwater Creek.
Advance tickets for the tour are $15 if purchased by 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. Tickets will be on sale at Jim Bush Flower Shop, CommuniGraphics, North Augusta Chamber of Commerce and Parks Pharmacy. On the day of the tour tickets are $18 and may be purchased at any home. (Every person must have a ticket -- even children in arms.)
Beta Sigma Phi uses the majority of the proceeds from the tour to fund scholarships to North Augusta High School seniors, with the balance going to North Augusta PAL Boxing Club, North Augusta School Wish List and other local charities.
For more information, call 279-4844, 279-6036 or 279-5074.
