A Century of Style | Forest Hills
Palladium Tour | A Century of Style
We're excited to see you on Sunday, April 6, 2025, as we explore A Century of Style!
❇ Please be advised that this is a rain or shine event. ❇
This webpage has all the information you need to make the most of your time on the tour. Use the Quick Link buttons below to easily navigate the page.
Getting There
There is ample street parking in Forest Hills and the surrounding area. Please avoid driving in the event footprint for the safety of yourself and those walking (yellowed areas on the map). Obey all posted signage and do not block any driveways.
In addition to parking within the neighborhood, you have permission to use spots at Palmetto Wine (2640 Gervais Street) and the non-reserved spots at New York Butcher Shoppe (1500 Woodrow Street). Please cross at the light located at Gervais and Woodrow.
Basic Tour Information
After Party
Palladium Tour attendees are invited to join us for a private post-tour reception on the lawn at the southeast corner of Canterbury Road and Westminster Drive.
The Palladium Tour reception will last from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Attendees should enter via Canterbury Road. Tour wristbands will be required for entry; you will need to present ID if you plan to consume alcoholic beverages at the after party. Recap your exciting tour experience and enjoy complimentary food and beverages in this tranquil setting.
Tour Stops
Use the buttons below to learn more about each tour stop. Homes may be viewed in any order. But first, a few Do's and Don'ts.
Do's
- Do wear booties when inside the homes and take the booties with you from house to house.
- Do follow all posted signage guidelines and directions given by HC staff and volunteers.
- Do respect the areas of the home that are designated off limits and don't open closed doors.
- Do refer to this website for "before" images and background information on the homes.
Don'ts
- Don't use the toilets at any of the homes; there are portable facilities available in the driveway of 1214 Westminster Drive.
- Don't eat or drink inside the homes.
- Don't bring your pet onto the properties, and please don't smoke on the properties.
- Don't be a bad neighbor! Please do not litter.
2615 Stratford Road
Constructed in 1930 for Jane Kealopher and Arthur St. Julian Simons, this Tudor Revival home was designed by locally prominent architecture firm Lafaye & Lafaye. The house’s original aesthetic lives on through the expression of the half timbering, asymmetrical form, steeply pitched roof, and weeping mortar.
1400 Westminster Drive
Completed circa 1903 for attorney Benjamin L. Abney as a one-story bungalow, today’s Georgian Revival mansion received its second story and brick veneer in 1927, when seller Joseph Walker required new owners Ethel and William Williams to either remodel or build a new home that matched the size and aesthetic of new residences in the neighborhood. Although more investigation is needed, the center hall and four main rooms likely remain unchanged in size—if not use—from Abney’s time in residence 100 years ago.
1305 Westminster Drive
This asymmetrical Greek Revival style house was built in 1941 for Clelia Gray and Wyatt Aiken Taylor. Although the wall, enclosed porch, and detached garage, designed by Andrew Kearn, were constructed around 1960, they do not alter the fundamental architectural characteristics of the house. Original finishings, including the bronze banister finial, were likely hand-selected by Clelia's sister and neighbor, renowned designer Dora Gray.
1307 Devonshire Drive
Constructed in 1928 for Julia Keenan and Cosmo L. Walker, this two-story Tudor Revival style home was designed by Greenville-based architect Henry R. Trott of Jones & Trott. Walker and his wife, Julia, lived in the home for over 30 years, allowing many of the homes original features to remain today, including the distinctive pink-grey stone, tile roofing, arched or lancet doorways, plaster walls, hardwood floors, and matching detached garage.
2604 Canterbury Road
Built for sisters Erin and Nell Kohn by contractor John T. Watkins in 1961, this two-story Colonial Revival home features a brick veneer first floor and clapboard second floor. Designed by architecture firm Jackson & Miller, the home is a later addition to Forest Hills that respects the stately houses and mature landscape of the established neighborhood.
