House featured in magazine to be on Midtown tour

The Gothic Victorian cottage on North Topeka that was featured earlier this year in This Old House magazine will be among five houses on the annual historic Midtown walking tour next weekend.

The Skinner-Lee House, built in 1886 at 637 N. Topeka, was moved to its current location at 1344 N. Topeka in the 1990s. Steve and Joann Pauls renovated the house and sent photos of it to This Old House, resulting in a two-page spread in the March issue that focused on the house’s curb appeal.

Four other historic houses in the 1100, 1200 and 1300 blocks of North Topeka will also be featured on this year’s tour, sponsored by the Historic Midtown Citizens Association.

Live music, refreshments, and a horse and wagon will be part of the festivities. Tickets will be $13, for sale during the tour at nearby St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1356 N. Broadway. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 and 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 12.

The four other houses on the tour are:

▪ 1328 N. Topeka, the Atkeson House, a foursquare in neo-classical style built in 1902, owned by Theresa Higgins and Darren Smith.

▪ 1212 N. Broadway, the Butts House, a classical revival foursquare built in 1909, owned by Raleigh and Rhandalee Hinman.

▪ 1109 N. Topeka, the Anawalt House, with a Queen Anne influence and neo-colonial features, built in 1886. It will be empty, as it was just purchased by B.J. Sheu and is in need of renovation.

▪ 1103 N. Broadway, the Purdue House, built in 1885 in Queen Anne/stick style; today it houses Alternative Gifts International, furnished as a business, not as a home.

This story was originally published October 3, 2014 at 10:54 AM with the headline "House featured in magazine to be on Midtown tour."