The Antiquarian Club conceived of and hosted the first tour of Bloomington Homes in April of 1942. They modeled their tour after the great pilgrimages of southern homes in cities like Natchez, Georgetown and Williamsburg. Unlike those tours, the tour in Bloomington-Normal included newer "picturesque" homes.
Included on the tour was of course the home of Hazle Buck Ewing on Sunset Drive. Among the older homes was that of Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Lamkey at 507 S. University in Normal. Their home was built in 1870 by the Lufkin family or by Col. D.C. Smith, according to a second article about the tour. The home at 612 N. Oak Street in Bloomington belonged to Miss Fannie Rowley and included many pieces of antique furniture and interior shutters at the windows. In this contemporary photo, the Oak Street home is now missing features which would add to its elegance and style which probably existed at the time of the tour.
The home of Mrs. Arthur Pillsbury at 109 East Olive Street was also toured. At the Pillsbury home one feature was a massive secretary that had been purchased by Mrs. Pillsbury's father with the proceeds of the sale of an entire farm. The Pillsbury home was demolished in order to build the Bloomington Public Library in 1961 after much controversy and resistance from Miss Frances Pillsbury, whose family had built the home nearly a hundred years before its destruction.
The home of architect Archie Schaeffer and his wife at 1215 E. Washington was toured as well. The Schaeffer home was the oldest on the tour and was noted to have five fireplaces as well as a paneled study which had been added by Archie Schaeffer. This home was opened during a house tour in 2016 and remains a jewel on its street. The Fred Murray home at 701 W. Wood was included on the tour. At the Murray home one of the items on display was an heirloom family tea set. This home underwent an ambitious and loving restoration more recently and has been saved from wrecking ball, unlike other notable homes on the west side.
The home of H H Miller at 901 N. Clinton was one of the "modern homes featured on the tour. This home was featured in a photograph and had a massive front door at least eleven feet tall. George Parker's home at 102 S. Mercer was included as well as several Country Club Place homes at 12 (Henry Capen), 19 (Henry Wakeley) and 33 (Dr. Howard Sloan). The home at 33 Country Club Place was termed a "Monterey farmhouse" and features a broad verandah on the second floor of the back of the house. The Henry Wakeley home is French Norman in style and was reported to be decorated in keeping with the style of the home. The entry hall of the home was papered with old maps.
In keeping with the traditions of the southern pilgrimages, guests at each older house were greeted by young women in period dress. Three girls wore dresses that had been part of Dr. Peair's mother's trousseau in 1860. Punch was served at the Parker home and many clubs participate in this event. All proceeds for the event were donated for the war effort.