Kitchen Tour opens doors to historic gems

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The 7th Annual Backdoor Kitchen Tour kicked off this weekend in Wilmington’s historic district. The only ingredient necessary was a taste for historic homes.

WWAY’s own Tim Buckley joined in during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Afterwards, people young and old lined up to enjoy the tour.

Kitchen Tour chairman Gregg Thomas was happy to see so many faces. He hopes these historic houses attract a buyer.

“A lot of people drive these streets every day that don’t live downtown in our little historic district here and just want to get inside these houses,” Thomas said. :They wonder what it is like to live in a house that is 100, 150 years old, and I think exposing them to that and hopefully catching someone’s eye that wants to come and rescue one of these gems themselves would be the ultimate goal.”

The tour, hosted by the Residents of Old Wilmington, is a fundraiser that benefits life in Wilmington by donating to several community projects. The southern hospitality sculpture at the foot of Market and Water Street is one of many tour contributions. The tour also sponsored a reforestation effort along 5th Avenue.