Tour Of Homes Wraps Up Week Of Christmas Festivities

The Frederic Knight Logan home, now owned by Wanda Gardner, offered visitors a look at history.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – A week of holiday and Christmas celebration has come to an end in Oskaloosa.

During the week, many events including a style show, lighted Christmas parade, and a Festival of Trees inside Penn Central Mall kept people out and about in the community.

During the weekend, the annual Tour Of Homes took place, with three significant homes welcoming guests this year.

Kim and Marvin Bloem welcomed visitors to their Mid Century Modern Time Capsule. The home, which is located at 131 Highland, was built in 1963 by Dr. Sidney Smith. The house features extensive use of floor to ceiling glass to bring the beauty of nature inside.

The house has never had any major updates, and still has the original appliances, light fixtures, bathroom tile and fixtures, along with the original post and beam construction. There is extensive use of natural wood, both inside and out.

Nadine Rozenboom invited visitors to come and enjoy a cozy, homey Christmas in the Country. Visitors were able to enjoy both Nadine’s home and the restored barn. Nadine’s farm was featured in “Our Iowa” Magazine, 2015 Holiday Edition as “one of the most beautiful Iowa farms”.

The final home on the tour was 416 B Ave East, owned by Wanda Gardner. The home, built in 1871, was the residence of famous Frederic Knight Logan.

The home features music rooms with vaulted ceilings. Gardner has decorated the home with antiques and a 1929 player Grand Piano. Royalties from Logan’s famed “Missouri Waltz” paid for an architectural face-lift in 1914, bringing it to its present Arts and Crafts appearance.

All profits from the Annual Tour of Homes stay in the community. This year the donations will be given to Youth for Christ, Oskaloosa Chapter.