FUND-RAISER Poland Historical Society to sponsor house tour

POLAND -- Poland Historical Society is ushering in the holiday season Dec. 2 and 3 with its Christmas Tour of Homes featuring seven private homes ranging from historical to contemporary in style and two public buildings, all decorated for the holidays. Viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at Wittenauer's Pharmacy, 120 S. Main St., or at any of the homes and buildings on the tour.
Tour guide
The locations are:
UThe 1949 Cape Cod home of Cheryl Gagliano and her son Jason, at 24 Second St., features a country-style living room and cozy summer porch. Collections of Black Folk Art, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, mice crafted by local artisans and stuffed bears are displayed in various rooms.
UBuilt in 1854 and referred to as The Adair House, the 10 rooms in the home of Kris Harper at 114 E. McKinley Way, are filled with a myriad of treasured family heirlooms. The owner has retained the original wood floors and has decorated the home in a mix of styles. Featured are such things as a pot-bellied stove, a 1850s-era cottage pump organ and a toolbox made from an old piano.
UThe functional century home of Becky Rudzek and her husband, Mark Roganski, at 441 S. Main St., was built in 1854 and still features the original wood floors and trims throughout the three floors. There is a spacious country kitchen, servants quarters and a master suite. Outside there is The Wee Mansion playhouse, a stable, tack room and even a three-seat outhouse.
UAt 7624 Locust Lane, the 1950s colonial home of Trish and Dave Vasvarie features a cherry wood kitchen and a formal parlor designed to replicate a Victorian sitting room. On the third floor the rooms are decorated romantically in scarlet and gold, and the master suite provides a breathtaking view. There is also a pub room on the lower level.
UThe high country-styled home of Sandy and Jack Shetler, 7650 Locust Lane, contains an extensive display of antiques, including primitive Christmas collectibles and a feather tree with vintage chenille ornaments. A prized Dutch pewter cupboard is the oldest piece in the home, and each of the upstairs rooms is decorated in a personalized style. Outside there is a summer pavilion and space occupied by three llamas and miniature goats.
UThe door to the two-story Tuscan-style home of Monica and Mike Bokesch, 4007 Via Cassia, leads to a grand foyer, where holiday trees are decorated with a collection of family ornaments. Guests can wander through an elaborately appointed chef's kitchen, a family room where an iron staircase leads to a wine cellar, and a great room containing a tiled two-story fireplace.
UA two-story brick Colonial at 6753 Boardwalk Drive in a new development features an airy foyer with a split-style cherry staircase that leads to a two-story great room with a carved gas fireplace. On the second floor there is a master suite and a bathroom with an Italian tiled walk-in shower and a whirlpool.
UThe Little Red Schoolhouse, 4515 Center Road, was built in 1858, and the original section has been carefully restored. There the host group will hold a bake sale.
UPoland Library, 311 S. Main St., was designed to take advantage of its natural surroundings and reflects the classic Greek Revival architecture of the Western Reserve. It contains the arts and crafts of local artisans in addition to computers with high speed Internet connections, and will eventually house 70,000 items in its collection.
There is ample parking at the sites, or Poland Union School, Poland Presbyterian Church or Poland Baseball Field parking lot near Dobbins School, where a van will provide rides to the Vasvarie and Shetler homes. There is no parking on Locust Lane.
Also available
In addition to the bake sale at the schoolhouse, refreshments will be available for visitors at the library.
The tour is the organization's primary fund-raiser, and proceeds will support the upkeep of the schoolhouse, where the society is housed, and its grounds.