Port Hope House Tour opens doors to past through viewing heritage properties

Participants wait to enter a home on Dorset Street West, which was featured in the 2025 Port Hope House Tour. /Corey Goldman photo

By reporter Natalie Hamilton

Residents and visitors can step back in time this fall to enjoy firsthand the charm, character and architecture of selected heritage homes and buildings in the Municipality of Port Hope.

The Port Hope House Tour has been providing glimpses into the stories and histories of some of Port Hope’s most iconic homes and buildings since 1964.

Tickets are available now for the annual event, which is on Saturday, Oct. 3, and features 10 homes, along with St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. The Port Hope House Tour has become one of Ontario’s most popular annual house tour events, the tour committee noted.

Over the years, more than 55,000 guests from across the province, the United States and abroad, have joined others to open doors to the past and raise money towards retaining the properties’ heritage at the same time.  

“The tour affords guests the chance not only to view the outstanding examples of vintage and contemporary architecture for which our beautiful town has become known, but also to gather design ideas, explore art, antiques and gardens, and learn about the people who live and work in these remarkable buildings,” noted Corey Goldman, chair of the Port Hope House Tour committee and a resident of Port Hope.

Established in 1964, the tour is now a key fundraiser for the Port Hope Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving the buildings and stories “that make Port Hope so special.”

Tickets typically sell out each year before the tour date. At press deadline, 85 per cent of the tickets for this year’s event had been sold, Goldman noted.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. 

This home, located at 25 John St., was featured in the 2025 Port Hope House Tour. /Corey Goldman photo 

Volunteers assist visitors while they’re inside each home to answer questions and ensure a smooth flow of traffic. A feature of more recent tours, including this year’s event, is walkability.

Those who purchase a ticket will receive a booklet that highlights the properties on the tour and shares details about the buildings’ unique characteristics and even brief synopses of people who have lived in the homes over the decades.

When asked about what defines a heritage property, Goldman said it’s a property that’s recognized for its historic, architectural, cultural or social significance to a community. While a home may be legally designated as a heritage property, it’s not a mandatory requirement.

Unlike a standard older home, a heritage property “possesses distinct character, craftsmanship or connection to history that is worth preserving,” Goldman explained. “For example, it may demonstrate a distinct design style – such as Victorian, Craftsman, Edwardian or Georgian, rare construction materials or exceptional period craftsmanship.”

A heritage property may have historical significance, such as ties to notable historical figures, early settlement eras or significant local events.

On Oct. 17, 1964, the first Port Hope House Tour welcomed visitors into eight heritage homes and buildings for a ticket price of just $2.

The inaugural tour included Idalia on Victoria Street, Hillcrest on Dorset Street West, Dunain and Wildwood on Lakeshore Road, the Bluestone on Dorset Street East, St. Mark’s Church on King Street, Hill and Dale on Pine Street South, and Durham House in Canton. Seven additional properties were included for exterior viewing, among them were Port Hope Town Hall, Barrett’s Terrace, the Port Hope City Dairy (now the Carlyle), and the gardens at Batterwood in Canton.

“It was an ambitious beginning to what has become one of Port Hope’s most cherished traditions,” shared Goldman.

Established as a fundraiser, the house tour has made a meaningful contribution to Port Hope’s built heritage. In the past three years alone, it has raised $140,000, Goldman noted.

Money raised supports restoration and preservation projects in the downtown conservation districts and at privately-owned heritage residences. Grants help property owners undertake renovations such as brickwork and chimney repairs, and the restoration or replacement of windows.

Tour funds also contribute to an annual scholarship awarded to a local student who is studying the heritage trades at a post-secondary institution, he added.

For more details about the 2026 Port Hope House Tour, visit https://porthopehousetour.com/.