The Fourth Annual Ada Christmas Tour of Homes is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 3, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The festive tour has developed into a community event which ignites the spirit of the season. The historic homes on the tour provide participants with a glimpse into Ada’s history, while a newer constructed home, in the Oaks, features custom designs throughout and decorations that incorporate the unique interests of the family members.
The tour will feature the homes of Chris and Mendy Koscinski, 1922 Muirfield Drive; Joe and Tammy Mankin, 110 E. Kings Road; Kent and Elisabeth Rogers, 220 W. Kings Road; and John and Peggy Wise, 511 W. Kings Road.
Proceeds from the ticket sales benefit the children of Ada through Project Invest, a program of East Central University’s Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and Smart Start South Central. The program is designed to increase community awareness and support of local child care programs.
In Ada, there are 23 child care centers and family child care homes that care for approximately 900 children each day while their parents work or attend school. Funds raised for the event will be used to provide new books, toys and equipment to enhance the early learning experiences for Ada’s youngest citizens.
Two different ticket options are available: $15 for the tour with transportation provided or $10 for the tour on your own. For those wanting transportation, tickets need to be purchased in advance. There will be two departure times: one at 4:15 p.m. and another at 5:30 p.m. The buses will leave from ECU’s Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center and take participants to each home. Others may tour the homes in any order between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets must be shown as admittance to each home.
Advanced tickets are on sale at the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce, 209 W. Main, Citizen’s Bank (12th Street and Arlington locations), Landmark Bank (Arlington and Cradduck Road locations) and Vision Bank (Main Street and Arlington locations) or by calling ECU at 580-559-5873. Tickets may also be purchased the night of event at any one of the homes or at the lobby of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
As a courtesy to the homeowners, no photographs should be taken in the homes. Children 12 and older are welcome to attend with a purchased ticket and accompanied by an adult.
In addition to the home tours, light holiday refreshments will be served by students from Latta High School’s FCCLA program and Kim Cupps, program sponsor.
The Koscinski home features custom brick in the dining room and kitchen and a custom built slate pool with outdoor kitchen. Décor for the holidays includes incorporating the daughters’ love of dance and the Nutcracker Ballet. Old World Christmas ornaments incorporate the personality and favorites of the family, from baseball to sushi to ballet.
The Mankin home was originally built in 1929 as the Murrell O. and Olive K. Matthews home. Mr. Matthews was the top executive with the Oklahoma Portland Cement, now Holcim Cement. This 4000 square-foot home has the original hardwood floors throughout and cobblestone terra-cotta tile in the breakfast nook. This home is situated on 2.5 acres and the family has a grandfather clause that allows a single horse within the city limits. The property has a three stall barn and three stall tack room.
The Rogers home is a 5900 square-foot English Tudor built in 1935 by S.C. and Kathryn Boswell. The five-bedroom, four-bath, two half-bath home still has the charm of a bygone era with its mahogany moldings and mostly original art deco tile. Features of the home include a fully lined mahogany study, an oak paneled ‘gentleman’s room’ with terrazzo floors, secret servant’s stairs and a secret passageway.
The Wise home was constructed in 1938 by Ben Todd and was the home of Floyd and Helen Haynes. Mr. Haynes owned one of Ada’s first hardware stores and also had a lumber yard in town. The home has a walkout basement, so from the back of the house it is actually three stories. According to the blueprints, the bedroom and bathroom on the bottom floor were to be the maid’s quarters. In the master bedroom there is a button on the wall that rings a buzzer two floors below in front of the maid’s room.