June 25 - As Bill Rees strolled through Abington's historic home and lush gardens on Sunday afternoon, the Clarks Green resident tried to catch a glimpse of a new area he knew well.
Reese and his wife, Karen, have previously taken home tours in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, and enjoy unique insights into neighboring properties on their Home and Garden Tours.
"It's really fun to pretend we're not tourists and people who live in the neighborhood," Reese said. "It's like a little treasure hunt in the garden."
After touring Scranton homes, parks and public spaces for the past two decades, the Historical Society and Greenhouse Project have turned their attention to Clarks Green, Clarks Summit and South Abington Twp. and Waverly Township. This year.
"We left places we had to go and people said it would be great if we could see a few more houses," said Mary Ann Moran-Savakinas, executive director of the Lackawanna Historical Society. "We decided to leave Scranton and the Abingtons made sense because the history is so deep."
Savakinas hinted that after spending more time in Abington, the tour may move to other parts of the region.
"I think we'll be here for a few years because there's still so much to discover," he said. "But we have a whole region and we're always trying to expand our interpretation of the region. Going beyond Scranton and exploring other communities helps us tell our story more deeply.
According to him, about 300 guests participated in the tour this year and visited nine properties, including the former church and the current church.
"It's a very nice collection of houses," Savakinas said. “These are not your typical historic palaces. It's an eclectic atmosphere and the gardens give it a summer feel."
Among the featured homes was Adam and Tori Donahue's residence on Waverley Avenue in Clarks Green, which features a stone facade and a lawn with hundreds of roses.
“It looks like an English cottage,” Savakinus said. "It's unlike anything you'll see in the United States."
Tori Donahue appreciated learning more about the town, which dates back to the 1920s, through discussions with the historical society.
“The house has so much history that we knew quite a bit about it when we bought it. "When the historical society approached me, I was excited because I saw an opportunity to learn more about the house."
He takes pride in restoring the home to its former glory and enjoys interacting with guests during visits.
"It's such a hidden gem," Donahue said. “Most people who grew up in this area didn't know it was here. It's nice to open the house and have people really appreciate it.
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