The weather was perfect for the April 28 historic home tour, which included homes in the Travis College Hill Addition as well as two homes in the historic Embree area.
Visitors were welcomed at 301, 309, 317, 313, 400 and 411 South 11th Street and this year, 616 South Ninth Street and 901 West Avenue E, both in Embree, were also opened to tour participants.
The Travis College Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 and was Garland’s first National 
Register Historic District.
Embree was established in 1886. The communities of Duck Creek and Embree later joined together to become Garland, which was incorporated in 1891.
Greg and Becky Baxter, the owners of the Craftsman style home at 400 South 11th Street, celebrated the house’s 100th birthday by offering hot dogs and cake to visitors. The home was first owned by Dr. Joseph H. Ogle and later became the residence of Curtis Crossman, Sr. and his wife Dixie Tucker Crossman.
The homeowners and other guides were available at each house to answer questions about the structures and their history. All of the homes have been lovingly cared for and decorated.
Proceeds of the $10 admission to the home tour benefitted Running 4 Clean Water, Team Texas for Fallen Officers and Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street.
Before the home tour, walkers of all ages donned their butterfly wings and participated in the 1-Mile Monarch Butterfly Walk. The walk was intended to draw attention to Monarch Butterfly conservation, an effort in which the city of Garland became involved last year.
The North Texas Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists provided an opportunity to learn more about the butterflies at the Monarch Butterfly tent at Avenue D and 11th Street. After the walk, a Monarch Butterfly Waystation was unveiled along with an informational sign featuring information about the butterflies as well as neighborhood history.
Walkers with the best butterfly wings received an award.