Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour - A Special Section, April 2025
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The Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour.
The Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour is back from May 2nd - 4th, as part of the community’s Spring Celebration events. This year, the Tour celebrates the personality of Frederick Law Olmsted’s remarkable Druid Hills neighborhood, showcasing seven stunning homes. Each of the must-see properties has been carefully renovated and curated to reflect the unique style and passions of its owners. Tourgoers can also make stops along Olmsted Linear Park to check out the newly renovated Springdale Park playground, grab a Coke at our Relaxation Station in Shadyside Park, and explore the trail-filled woodlands of Deepdene Park. Trust us when we say you’ll be talking about 2025’s Tour for years!
821 Oakdale is one of the eight tour stops for 2025.
Photo by Nick Johnson
APRIL 2025 ■ A SPECIAL SECTION
A Collection of Druid Hills Homes Sold By Molly
This year we highlight the unique personality of Olmsted’s Druid Hills.
Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision for the ideal suburban development was achieved with Druid Hills - a serene neighborhood with a focus on nature, open space, and community engagement. He called for home styles to be widely varied yet cohesive and designed to blend with the natural environment. Homeowners would incorporate their own tastes and unique interests into their homes and gardens.
Our 2025 Tour celebrates the unique charm and personality of the neighborhood. Guests will make stops in lovely Olmsted Linear Park and have the chance to explore a variety of home styles. Each of our seven featured homes is truly stunning and showcases the unique personal passions of their owners. Fabulous art and rare antiques, mint vintage cars and rare baseball memorabilia, pristine gardens and meticulous renovations - this tour has something for everyone!
821 Oakdale Road
Deepdene Park, segment of Olmsted Linear Park
1655 South Ponce de Leon Avenue
1348 Fairview Road
Fairview Road
1372 Fairview Road
During these uncertain times, HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide safe, essential services, architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in a changed world.
HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide exceptional architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in an ever-changing world.
MILLION-DOLLAR MARKETING
FRIDAY: 1-5pm, SATURDAY: 10am-5pm, SUNDAY: 1 -5pm
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 TOUR SPONSORS
Construction is underway on new Olmsted Park playground
By Katie Burkholder
Construction is currently underway at the Springdale Park playground near Druid Hills, bringing a brand-new space for kids to learn and play to the neighborhood hopefully by the end of April.
The Springdale playground, which is part of Olmsted Linear Park, has been in the works for renovation since 2022 when constituents told the Olmsted Linear Park Association (OLPA) the playground was “boring.”
“The equipment that was there before was outdated. Some of it was broken,” Sandra Kruger, the Executive Director of OLPA, told Rough Draft. “The playground was plagued by stormwater flooding. So, we had to address stormwater flooding issues and upgrade the stormwater infrastructure.”
The project is not just a refresh; it’s a
complete overhaul. The new playground will include a nest swing, a climbing sphere, musical flowers, a seesaw, and a carousel – all brand-new structures – as well as a new version of the beloved spinning saucer.
“We upgraded all the play equipment to current, innovative, and accessible pieces that are all-inclusive,” Kruger said. “Children of all ages with all abilities can enjoy the playground.”
Play structures are not the only additions being made to the space. The playground update is part of a multifaceted improvement project to the park that started last August and includes new landscaping with pollinating plants and trees – almost 75 of which have been planted in the last two months of the project.
Kruger says OLPA hopes to open the playground to the public with a ribboncutting ceremony at the end of April.
The new playground currently under construction. (Photo by Collin Kelley)
Emory Village Alliance presents
Concert on April 26
The Emory Village Alliance is proud to present the Coca-Cola Clean Up the Creek Concert on Saturday, April 26th, on the Emory Village Green.
The schedule is as follows:
2:30 - 4 p.m. The Flying Saucers
4:30 - 6 p.m. The Gathering
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Yes Ma’am Family Band
The headliner, the Yes Ma’am Family Band, is an epic Georgia music collaboration, with connections that span the most prolific years in Peach State music history. The core members are Caroline Aiken, Liz Melendez, and Diane Durrett.
These collaborators invite a "movable feast at the Yes Ma’am Family Band's expansive table" to honorary and occasional guests Donna Hopkins, Michelle Malone,
Danielle Howle, and other talented musicians. Their music includes harmonies to live for; guitar mastery that runs the full gamut of aching subtlety, acoustic intensity, and soulful electricity; and commanding piano that rouses the senses.
Opening bands include Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church’s The Gathering and The Flying Saucers, a local band that plays Ventures’-style instrumental music.
Bring the whole family and a blanket to sit on. There will be a food truck and adult beverages for sale.
Funds raised will help South Fork Conservancy complete the stabilization of the creek bank in Emory Village near Panera Restaurant and install a trash trap and rain garden to slow down and absorb storm water.
Get ready for the Druid Hills Gala
A few days before the Historic Druid Hills Home & Garden Tour starts each year, homeowners showcasing their properties, tour sponsors, and the Druid Hills community celebrate the upcoming event together at the elegant “Druid Hills Gala” at breathtaking Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.
Unlike typical galas that feature fundraising, this event is simply a big party to thank everyone for supporting the Tour!
The first Druid Hills Gala was held at the Callanwolde mansion in 2022 as part of the Olmsted 200 celebration, a yearlong event marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted.
The renowned landscape architect, who designed legendary spaces such as Central Park in New York City and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, also designed the neighborhood of Druid Hills.
Callanwolde, the iconic Druid Hills estate, was built between 1917 and 1921 as the residence of Charles Howard Candler, the eldest son of Asa Griggs Candler, founder of The CocaCola Company.
Designed by Henry Hornbostel, who also designed much of Emory’s Atlanta campus, Callanwolde is a stunning example of the Gothic Revival architectural style, incorporating elements like half-timbering, crenelated bays, and Tudor arches.
The 27,000-squarefoot mansion was constructed with an emphasis on simplicity and elegance, showcasing Hornbostel’s expertise in blending traditional and modern design.
After its smashing debut in 2022, the
to hold the Druid Hills Gala each year since. The mansion’s beauty, the estate’s history and significance to the neighborhood, and the many offerings that Callanwolde Fine Arts Center provides to our community make Callanwolde the perfect place to host this magical evening event.
We hope that you’ll consider joining us as we celebrate, Wednesday, April 30th, at this year’s Druid Hills Gala! Kick up your heels with your friends and neighbors to live music from jazz legend Joe Gransden, and sample delicious food from Zest Atlanta, signature cocktails courtesy of Herb Chereck at Decatur Package Store, and premium beer and wine at this black-tie-optional event. Gala tickets and individual/family tour sponsorships, which include gala and tour tickets, can be purchased at druidhillstour.org.
See you at the Gala!
Druid Hills Civic Association, which organizes the Tour, has partnered with Callanwolde
PAM HUGHES & HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS ® ARE PROUD TO BE SPONSORS OF THE
55TH DRUID HILLS HOME TOUR & 2249 EAST LAKE ROAD
OWNERS: RICHARD BURGESS & DAVID MURRAY
TOUR DATES:
FRIDAY, MAY 2, FROM 1PM TO 5PM
SATURDAY, MAY 3, FROM 10AM TO 5PM SUNDAY, MAY 4, FROM 10AM TO 5PM
This residence is based on a design by Atlanta architect Leila Ross Wilburn. The owners are celebrating the home’s 100th birthday this year. The home and grounds have been lovingly restored over 27 years and offer a little something for everybody; extensive gardens, vintage furnishings from varied eras, antiques, a collection of portraits, and numerous collections of auto related items from models to hood ornaments. Of special interest is the “Garage-mahal” featuring a ’58 Bonneville, ’60 Imperial, and a 1961 Lincoln Continental; as well as vintage signs, gas pumps, and a pair of working jukeboxes!
