Elizabeth Orosco
Northeast News

Five historic homes opened their doors to the public during the 12th annual Pendleton Heights Homes Tour and Artist Market Saturday, December 1st. Visitors were able to walk through the homes, meet some of the owners, and see the remarkable restorations that have taken place.

The five homes on tour were 2607 Lexington, 400 Montgall, 402 Montgall, 425 Montgall, 444 Montgall, and 513 Montgall.

Pendleton Heights is a historic piece of Kansas City, the second residential-designed neighborhood and first developed suburb in the late nineteenth century. Nestled in the northeast, it overlooks the East Bottoms and Missouri River, and holds the largest collection of true Victorian homes in the city.

Thanks to Legal Aid and the hard work of local rehabbers, most of these homes have undergone complete overhauls.

Jessica Ray, member of the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association and the Event Chair for the Holiday Homes Tour and Artist Market, said these homes can give vision to anyone considering renovating an old home that was not well cared-for.

“They are over 100 years old and have survived a lot… they are houses that have been brought back from severe neglect. This is an opportunity to see what can be, from what was really rough beginnings, so I think it will be inspirational for that reason.”

2607 Lexington was beautifully renovated after suffering a kitchen fire. Original hardwood floors greeted guests in the entrance and the home’s original windows were still in tact above the staircase. A furnace pipe approval permit was found when restoring the home, which the owners had framed and embedded in the beam of the entrance to the living room.

400 and 402 Montgall were mostly gutted, undergoing major remodeling, but there are hopes to put these on the market soon.

425 Montgall was completely renovated on the inside prior to its current owners, Tim and Mariana, moving in. In the fall of 2018, the couple replaced the roof and siding on the house. The interior of the home is cozy, inviting, and decorated with talavera pots, pops of color, and a wall of alebrijes, which are brightly-colored mythical creatures originating from Mexican folk art. A hidden yet unique aspect of the home is a walk-in pantry that extends off the side of the kitchen a few steps up.

The prominent wall facing the entrance displays a colorful painting of a bull by local artist Chico Sierra. Mariana, who is from Mexico, said she wanted something that made her think of her native country, and Sierra beautifully captured that image for the couple.

444 Montgall, an Italian-villa style home with its cornice embellishment was one of the first residences to be built in it subdivision. The house was covered with vinyl siding, but once removed, the original clapboard siding was revealed, which is what remains today.

In 1889, Edwin Coleman, a local veterinarian, lived there with his wife, Maria. Mr. Coleman passed away in 1902 and his wife continued to live there until her death in 1904. It changed hands multiple times after their passing and in the 1960s, the house was converted into a two-unit apartment building.

It’s currently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Koenig, both attorneys in Kansas City, who purchased it in 2016. Inside, the house has been renovated and modernized, but the couple collects antiques which reflects the old character of the house.

The Pendleton Heights Homes Tour and Artist Market has become a highly-anticipated annual event in the community and is continually growing each year. To learn more about Pendleton Heights Neighborhood, please visit pendletonheights.org.