Submitted Photo Homes participating in the virtual historic house tour are designated by these signs, which include smart phone-accessible codes that share the history and architecture of the home.

Academy Heights neighborhood in conjunction with the Dunkirk Historical Society has just launched its Virtual Historic House Tour, which includes 14 historic homes located in the second ward, the section of the city with all the bird names, from Central Ave to Robin Street. The project was supported by a competitive Neighborhood Pride grant from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation. The primary intent of the project is to inform residents and visitors of the city about some of the historic and architecturally significant homes in this part of the city.

Additionally, the tour has been designed to encourage walking, providing points of interest along a self-selected route. The participating homes are designated with a white vinyl post which reads “Academy Heights Virtual Historic House Tour. Scan me.” and includes a smart phone accessible DQ code that tells the history and architecture of the home. Viewers will also see the websites for Revitalize Dunkirk (Revitalizedunkirk.com) and the Dunkirk Historical Museum (Dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org) on the posts.

Some of the homes have adjacent fire hydrants painted to represent the first owner of the nearby participating house. Each participating house has a “circa” sign stating a close approximate age of the building. Walkers will also experience the emergence of pocket gardens scattered throughout the neighborhood, encouraging more beautification projects in the city.

It is hoped that more neighborhoods will take interest in the preservation and celebration of Dunkirk’s many 19th century homes, clearly a city asset.

Residents within the Academy Heights Neighborhood who would like assistance in acquiring a “circa” sign for a home, or wish to sponsor a painted hydrant, please contact Doreen Lane at bump7701@fredonia.edu or Academy Heights Neighborhood association, PO BOX 124. Information is also available on facebook.com/Academy Heights Neighborhood Association.

Addresses currently represented on the virtual tour can be found on the websites Academyheights.org or Revitalizedunkirk.com, and soon on Dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org. All three groups welcome new volunteers and those concerned with the preservation of the City of Dunkirk.