Several historic homes to open for public viewing in Provo

PROVO — On Thursday and Friday, the Provo City Landmarks Commission will host its annual Provo City Historic Home tours. The self-guided tour is free. A reception at the Provo Library at Academy Square follows on Friday with remarks by local historian and author D. Robert Clark.

The landmarks commission again is joining with the Utah Division of State History, the National Parks Service and the Freedom Festival to produce the tour of buildings listed on the local and National Historic Registers, commission Chairman Randy Christiansen said.

To participate, patrons are asked to pick up a complimentary "Historic Provo" guidebook at the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, 111 S. University Ave.; Provo City Library, 550 N. University Ave.; Provo City Utilities Building, 251 W. 800 North; Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce, Suite 215 in the Historic County Courthouse; Los Hermanos Restaurant, 10 W. Center; or the Provo City Center Office of Community Development, 330 W. 100 South.

This year, the interior tours focus on historic homes in a nine-block area of the Timpanogos neighborhood, just north of the central business district and east of 500 North. In addition to the various homes on tour, the guidebook includes a short history of Provo, how its architecture developed along with historic photographs and descriptions of the city's historic sites.Tours begin at 5:30 p.m. at the parking lot of North Park, 300 W. 500 North. Eight homes are featured this year.

Participants may join the tour anytime between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The tour ends at 7 p.m.

The Friday reception at the library begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Provo Library Bullock Room.