Several historic homes, churches and museums in and around downtown Columbiana will be decorated for the holidays and open to guests Saturday, Dec. 2, from 1-4 p.m.

Sponsored by the Columbiana Beautification Board, the 2006 Tour of Homes will feature the homes of Charles and Sue Bryars (The Old Handy Ellis House), Mark and Mandy Frey (The Old Jones House), Allan and Scarlott Lowe (The Old Wooley Apartments), Grady and MarshaParsons (The Old Skelton House), and Tim and Catherine Prince (The Old Green House).

Also on the tour is the not-yet-completed Columbiana Inn (The Old Armstrong House), a bed and breakfast currently being restored on East College Street.

Another tour stop is the First Baptist Church of Columbiana, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The Novella Club will be serving refreshments at the Shelby County Museum and Archives in the Old Courthouse.

&8220;We are very pleased to present a number of homes that should be of great public interest this year,&8221; said 2006 Tour of Homes Director Brandi Kellis. &8220;Many people who remember walking up the stairs to Ms. Skelton&8217;s private kindergarten during the &8217;50s, &8217;60s, &8217;70s, and &8217;80s will really enjoy seeing what Grady and Marsha Parsons have done with that home. Also, I&8217;m told that a great number of Columbiana residents stayed with Ms. Jones in the house now owned by Mark and Mandy Frey when they were pre-schoolers.&8221;

Kellis continued, &8220;Additionally, several South Shelby couples began their married lives in the Wooley Apartments on Mildred Street, now the completely renovated single-family home of Mayor Allan and Scarlott Lowe.&8221;

Tickets for this year&8217;s tour are $12 in advance and $15 at the door of any of the tour locations on the day of the tour.

Advance tickets are available at the following Columbiana merchants:

Dr. Stancil Handley, Busy Hands, Seventh Heaven and the Shelby County Museum and Archives.

For more information, contact Tour Director Brandi Kellis at 317-8769