Dayton on Tour Oct. 6

DAYTON—The Dayton Historical Depot Society is inviting you to come out October 6, from 1 to 4 p.m., and take a tour of some of the beautiful historic homes in Dayton.

“This year, a select group of four homes, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries has been chosen,” said Dayton Historical Depot Museum Director Tamara Fritze. “The homes showcase excellence in historic preservation and restoration, and creative modern interpretation of diverse architectural styles.”

Fritze said the homes on this year’s tour include; the Blessinger/Neal home, which is a cross-gable modified Queen Anne Victorian home, the Columbia Chronicle Building, built in 1908, the Richardson House, which has long been considered one of the finest homes in Dayton, and the Dantzscher Building, a two-story building on Main Street, that originally housed a tailor shop, millinery, and drug store, with rooms to let on the second floor.

Tickets for the Home Tour are $15, or $10 for Depot members. They can be purchased on the day of the tour beginning at 10 a.m., at the Dayton Historic Depot, 222 E. Commercial St.

The Boldman House Museum, at 410 N. First St., the Palus Museum, at 426 E. Main St., the Smith Hollow Schoolhouse Museum, at 113 N. Front St., and the Historic Depot Museum, are all open between the hours of 1-4 pm., during Dayton on Tour.

“The Dayton Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to invite entrepreneurs from across the region to tour Dayton’s Historic tree-lined Main Street, said Chamber Director Melissa Bryan.

The Main Street Open House, which is new for this year, is to encourage the sale of currently available spaces along Main Street, said Bryan.

Bryan said the Chamber and the Port have been promoting the Main Street Open House far and wide, throughout the region.

She said Kathryn Witherington, the Port’s Economic Development Coordinator, County Planning Director Meagan Bailey, Joe Jacobs from the Walla Walla Small Business Administration, and Jenna Bicknell, of Craft3, will be on hand from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the Noble Hunt, as a resource for people interested in doing business on Main Street.

Bicknell is able to help with financing for individuals and entrepreneurs who don’t qualify for standard bank financing, said Bryan.

The Main Street Open House will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pacific Power is sponsoring the Fourth Annual Oktoberfest at the Blue Mountain Station, also on October 6.

The Waitsburg Commercial Club is hosting the beer garden at Oktoberfest, and the Market Co-op is providing Bratwurst, red cabbage, German potato salad, apple strudel, caramel apples and cider.

Witherington said the Autumn Kid Zone, featuring a straw maze, straw pyramid and pumpkin patch will be set up at the Blue Mountain Station during the month of October, and for Oktoberfest, as well.

At Blue Mountain Station, visitors can check out XO Alambic’s new brandy and some new offerings in the market, itself, said Market Co-op Manager Patricia Sacha.

Other activities during Dayton on Tour include horse drawn carriage rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the carriage departing from the Dayton Historic Depot. Also, screenings of the movie “The House with a Clock in its Walls” will be held at the Liberty Theater at 3 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.

Astronaut and Whitman College Alumnus Dottie Metcalf-Lindenberger will be at the Wenaha Gallery at 10:30 a.m. during Dayton on Tour.

The gallery is currently showing a retrospective of astronaut Alan Bean’s work. Bean, who died in May, referred to himself as “an artist who went to the moon.”

Jewelry artist Venita Simpson, and acrylic pour artist Joyce Klassen, will also be on hand to present their artwork at the gallery that day.

Look closely and you can see the print of his moon boot in his work, she said.

Chocolate, cupcakes and cookie bars, along with a free Steve Henderson note card and music by Roy Anderson, will be offered to visitors at the gallery that day.