The West Liberty Business Association announces the much-anticipated West Liberty Christmas Tour of Homes, taking place Saturday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at The Town Hall, 201 N. Detroit St., West Liberty, OH, and online through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/west-liberty-christmas-tour-of-homes-tickets-1849049339349?aff=erelexpmlt.
Tickets will also be available on the day of the event at Town Hall or the Yoder or Smith homes during the tour. If you purchase on Eventbrite, you’ll still need to pick up your physical ticket at the Town Hall front entrance before heading to your first stop.
Tickets are $20 per person. On street parking is available as well as parking at local churches.
This year’s tour will feature 10 stops — five within the village and five just outside of town — promising a festive evening of beautifully decorated homes and holiday cheer. Horse drawn carriage rides will be available between stops within the village, provided by All-Win Stables, sponsored by Malia Hughes Key Realty.
The first stop on the tour is the Josh and Chrissy Yoder Home located just west of town at 2071 Sinkhole Road, West Liberty. The Yoders own and operate Yoder Grain Farms & Trucking as well as The Little White Farmhouse Flowers — a “u-pick” flower farm.
Between May and October, sunup to sundown, this garden showcases a wide variety of blooms for visitors to cut themselves or to work with owner Chrissy Yoder to design a custom arrangement of her beautiful flowers.
Their favorite room in the 1,200 square foot, two bed, two bath home is the living room, because it is a comfy, cozy space for winter relaxation.
Their favorite feature of the property is the original hardwood floors and the hay rack that came from the original horse barn on the property. They love collecting Native American artifacts from their farms in Champaign and Logan County, Josh also likes to collect any farm related collectibles and loves the fact that their home was once home to his Uncle Gene King and his two siblings.
The second stop on the tour is the Town Hall & recently restored second-floor Opera House, located at 201 N. Detroit Street. From 4 to 7 p.m. stop in to purchase tickets, tour the Opera House, use the public restrooms or find a warm spot to wait to hop aboard the Horse Drawn Carriage Rides.
The Opera House is a sight to behold and a treasure for our community thanks to the efforts of the Historical Society.
The third stop on the tour is the Marc and Molly Smith Home, located at 9048 C.R. 47, just east of town. This 4 bed, 3.5 bath house was built by Fairchild Construction; the homeowner’s family’s business, about 18 years ago, and renovated again by Fairchild in 2020 during the COVID shutdown.
The owners’ favorite spots are their back patio in the summer and curled up by the fireplace in the winter, and they love the basement. Growing up, the homeowner absolutely loved decorating for the holidays with her mom playing Christmas music and making a whole day of it, so she has carried on that tradition with her daughters.
The next stop on the tour is the Jim and Debbie Etherton home, a four-bedroom, two-bath home, located at 319 West Columbus Street. The Ethertons have lived there for almost 20 years. They are empty nesters, with three children and four (soon to be five) grandchildren.
Local residents have shared with them that their home was originally built by one of the Piatt sisters in the late 1800s and was later the Methodist Church’s parsonage before a fully accessible one-story ranch was built in more recent years. Jim’s favorite part of the house is the bathroom he remodeled in his early retirement. Debbie’s favorite part of the home is the kitchen, where her husband also built all the cabinets.
The next two stops are the Big Cozy Spot Airbnb located at 138 W. Baird St., and Ginger’s Retreat LLC Airbnb located at 117 E. Columbus Ave., both inside the village.
Big Cozy Spot is owned by the Hudson family. This short-term rental sleeps up to 8 guests and includes 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, as well as 2 living areas. It features a lovely furnished back patio and is located conveniently just down the street from Stoner’s Ice Cream Parlor. The smaller portion of this duplex was featured on the 2024 West Liberty Christmas Tour of Homes and sleeps four guests.
Ginger’s Retreat LLC is owned by Neal and Cilla Hillard, lifelong residents of West Liberty. They are a combined family of six and are proud to call this charming village their home.
They love restoring old pieces, hosting guests and sharing the beauty of our hometown. Their short-term rental is a classic saltbox-style house, which adds a touch of historical charm and architectural character to the village. It is available for rent on Airbnb and VRBO. Their favorite feature of the home is the soaking tub, the perfect spot to unwind. The warm, timeless and welcoming house is 1,500 square feet with two bedrooms and 1.5 baths, and is decorated with traditional/farmhouse style.
The last stop inside the village is the Headings Home located at 120 E. Newell St. Judy has lived there since 1975; she purchased it from her parents. The home is a quaint story and a half known for its welcoming atmosphere. She remodeled the kitchen and bath 25 years ago and her favorite spot in the entire home is the 5-window bay area in the kitchen. During the tour, there will be a contest involving her collection of snowmen.
Next, you can head out of town to the lovely Mt Tabor Church, located at 2427 SR 245, Cable. This 1881 church is a historic treasure perched on a hill surrounded by an active cemetery. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is in the midst of a restoration to preserve its stunning stained-glass windows and original interior. The Salem Township Trustees continue to care for this landmark with a vision of welcoming future weddings, services, and community gatherings.
Just down the road from Mt Tabor Church at 2495 State Route 245, Cable, is the adorable soon-to-be available short-term rental, The Off Track Retreat LLC Airbnb. The Ben and Alene Yeater family purchased this land approximately two years ago, and the caboose was already on the land.
The reasoning behind the caboose in the middle of the countryside is as mysterious as its image. It was once a functional caboose for the nearby rail line. Neighbors talk about seeing it brought in on a flatbed and put in place on a piece of track with a crane about 20 years ago. They have enjoyed working with Pure Renovations and county leaders to tun a graffitied unused caboose into a cozy retreat. It was rewarding to maintain as much of the unique characteristics of the original caboose as possible during renovations. Their favorite area is the elevated reading nook, which can be converted into a bed.
The tour concludes at The Woods, the restaurant overlooking Woodland Golf Club at 4900 Swisher Road, Cable. It is a very peaceful venue with a beautiful bar, with quiet background music, along with some entrees created by Chef Jason. The dishes feature proteins from the Woodruff Farm. The Woods is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 5 to 9 p.m.
