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Emden Historical Society Homes for
the Holidays tour
[December 09, 2025]
Among the many special events
on Saturday, December 6 was the Emden Historical Society Homes for
the Holidays tour with six places to visit. Most homes on the tour
were over 100 years old. All were beautifully decorated for
Christmas.
The home of Brad and Betty Jo
Lessen was built in 1912 by John G. Zimmer, the first mayor of
Emden. Framed blueprints show the original plans for the house.
The Lessens bought the house 30 years ago and have done many
renovations including closing off some doorways, rebuilding the
staircases upstairs and basement, reimagining some attic spaces
upstairs to create more closets and space and ripping off an old
sinking porch in the back. They also restored hardwood flooring on
the main floor, put laminate in the main room upstairs and used some
reclaimed flooring in the dining room and two bedrooms upstairs.
For the tour, the Lessens had a large Christmas tree, Nativity set
and several decorations throughout the home.
The newest home on the tour was
Becky Adams’ home, which was built by Larry Westen in 2012.
This ranch style brick home with barrier-free access to enhance
mobility for the original owner features an entrance ramp, wide
hallways and spacious rooms.
Adams purchased the home in fall
2024 after a few renovations were completed. These included
replacing the carpeting with vinyl plank flooring and painting all
the rooms a neutral white to create a blank canvas for the many
pieces of art and collectibles Adams accumulated over the years.
Drawing on Adams’ love of nature and all things botanical; it is
home to many plants that bring the outdoors in.
Around Adam’s home was holiday décor that included Santa and a
Nutcracker.
The Den in Emden is an Airbnb
nestled in the heart of the village. This refurbished home was built
in the 1890s and lovingly restored to preserve its historic charm
and classical architectural details while incorporating updated
amenities to ensure a comfortable stay.
From the spacious living area to a fully equipped kitchen, every
section of the home tells a story of the past while providing modern
conveniences. Over the years, the space has been used for different
purposes and in 2017, Kent Cross purchased and restored it using
salvaged wood from old buildings that were being torn down. The
Airbnb is now owned and rented out by Stevi and Brett Schenkel.
A table in the dining area was decorated with greenery and topped
with a variety of snacks for people on the tour.
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Village Vintage and Gifts was
established in December 2024 by Becky Adams in what was the original
Farmers State Bank building from 1892 until 1900. When the bank
moved to a new location, the building served as the Emden Post
Office from 1900 until 1960. Kent Cross purchased and restored the
space and had Tom Alberts paint the vault door.
Adams was previously part owner of the Vintage 54 Collective on
Indianapolis’ North side and brought her inventory from there to
Emden. Most items are antique or vintage, but local artisans and
crafters are also feature, which contributes to the local feel of
the shop.
For the holiday season, Adams has small Christmas trees, ornaments,
greenery, candles and serving trays on display for sale.
Another home on the tour was built
in 1904 by the Coers family. The current owners are the third family
to own it and have lived there since 1981. In those 44 years, they
have made many changes and updates to the home, which has five rooms
on each floor.
There are four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room, dining
room, kitchen, breakfast nook, attic, full basement, two garages and
an old root cellar in the backyard. With many antiques and
collectibles throughout the home, it still holds its original charm.
For the tour, several rooms had Christmas trees, Santas and
Christmas scenes. A large ceramic Nativity set in the dining room
was one special feature.
The home of Matthew and Brooke
Ballance was likely built in the early 1900s, though they are unsure
of the exact year. The Ballance family purchased it in 2010 and were
drawn to its character, craftmanship and welcoming feel.
This craftsman style home has
a living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, one and half
bathrooms and an office. Much of the original woodwork has been
lovingly preserved throughout most of the house. They remodeled the
kitchen in 2023 with the goal of keeping touches of the home’s old
feel while bringing in their style and modern amenities to create a
space that blends history with comfort and functionality.
Christmas trees, garland and greenery decorated the Ballance home in
addition to a wooden nativity set.
The homes for the holidays tour had a great turnout with many guests
from both Emden and nearby towns, enjoying some of the vintage and
historic homes in the village while raising funds for Emden
Historical Society.
Emden Holiday Home Tour - Slideshow
[Angela Reiners]
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