The Castine Historical Society will host its Castine House & Garden Tour on Friday, July 24, featuring twelve houses and three gardens open for one day only in the well-preserved historic village overlooking Castine Harbor. Held every four to six years, the tour typically welcomes more than a thousand visitors to explore one of New England’s oldest towns, known for its 18th- and 19th-century architecture and elm-lined streets.

Stops on the tour include a beautifully restored 19th-century sail loft, an 18th-century home believed to be the only residence in town predating the Revolutionary War, a 1920s Spanish Colonial villa by New York architect William Bottomley, a cedar-shingled house attached to a historic windmill, and gardens ranging from a French-style potager built on an old barn foundation to a newly created space designed to grow food for community members facing insecurity.

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Castine Historical Society’s free exhibitions and educational programs, as well as community-based projects in Castine, with Saltmeadow Properties and HM Payson serving as lead sponsors and Down East Magazine as media sponsor. Tickets are 50 per person through July 12 and 60 from July 13–24, with tickets and additional information available at CastineHouseTour.com and through the Castine Historical Society (castinehistoricalsociety.org, 207-326-4118, info@castinehistoricalsociety.org).