Historically speaking, Chester Street was the place to be on Saturday, April 15

Chester Street in downtown Front Royal may have been the place to be on Saturday, April 15, when the Garden Club of Warren County offered tours of the Historic Downtown area, including homes, some stately, dating to the late 1700s and the Civil War era that line the street on either side.

Historic Garden Week is presented in conjunction with the Garden Club of Virginia. And County Garden Club representative Beth DeBergh told us that the President of the Garden Club of Virginia, Debbie Lewis, planned on attending the local club’s hosted tour — “That is quite an honor,” DeBergh observed.

The walking tours began at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 15, at Garden Club headquarters at Ivy Lodge, 101 Chester Street, at one of the newer buildings that date back only to 1819 amidst the Warren Heritage Society complex. Visitors strolled through more than two centuries of local history from morning into the early afternoon before the threatened rains came and went.

The tours included three historic properties of the Warren Heritage Society village, including an 1800’s era log house and the Victorian home of local Civil War-era diarist Lucy Buck just across the street.

The Ivy Lodge from the Warren Rifles/Balthis House side to the south. Below, Belle Boyd Cottage behind the Ivy Lodge, with a few of the informational gardening tip tents visible; and further below the Buck House across Chester St. from the Ivy Lodge where young Lucy Buck recorded a diary of the ugliness that was the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley and at times along Chester St. in Front Royal.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., guests could leave the Chester Street walking tour and drive up the hill to the recently renovated Bel Air Mansion, built in 1795 at 269 Happy Creek Road. At the Bel Air home of the LeHew family, the plan was to serve lemonade to guests on the porch while a string quartet from Mountain View Music School played.

While on Chester Street, visitors were welcomed at the Buck House, circa 1904; J.S Petty-Sumption House, circa 1788; Balthis House, circa 1787; Belle Boyd Cottage, home of the infamous Confederate spy. That house is full of period pieces and items connected with Ms. Boyd, also at the Ivy Lodge, circa 1819, from which the tours began.

Two perspectives of Bel Air on high ground off of Happy Creek Road in mid-town Front Royal. If it was good enough for Gen. Lee to stop for refreshments on the way back from Gettysburg, hopefully visitors Saturday didn’t get rained out of their lemonade and musical accompaniment. Thanks to the LeHew family and the others involved for opening up their properties up to be part of the Garden Club tour.

Various displays were featured at the Warren Heritage Society property, beginning at 10 a.m., where retired Town Horticulturist Anne Rose presented on how to create hanging baskets and floral containers. Master Gardener Catherine Rindt also discussed how to replace non-native plants, thus encouraging nature to return to your backyard. Certified Arborist and Town Tree Steward David Means also demonstrated the correct way to plant a tree, and properly prune one. Other activities at the Garden Club’s launching point on a beautiful spring morning and early afternoon, included the Master Gardeners and Bartlett Trees, giving out sapling trees.

Tour participants are registered and ready to move along Chester St. as the Garden Club of WC-hosted event kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday. Below, ‘Belle Boyd’ shows her true colors with a slight lifting of the skirt. Final shot of sequence shows historical photographs of the real Belle Boyd on display inside the cottage – thanks for the performance, Jan …

The ladies of the Garden Club of Warren County worked gallantly: “Doing beautiful floral designs for the tour properties,” Garden Club representative DeBergh told us, also acknowledging guest designers from the Garden Club of Fairfax and the Rappahannock County Garden Club. — “I don’t know what we would have done without them,” she told Royal Examiner, adding a nod to Historic Garden Week Flower Chairman Dannett Lightcap.

The Balthis House, original section front right circa 1788, and its yard of historical structures two doors south of the Ivy Lodge.

Sponsors included Maddox Funeral Home; Frederick Andrea, architect; Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey LeHew; Beth Medved Waller, realtor; Powers Insurance (Bill Powers, State Farm agent); Partlow Insurance Agency; and Bret W. Hrbek, Edward Jones financial advisor.

Roger Bianchini contributed to this story.