One of many doors that welcome visitors to one of Harvard’s most charming houses. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)

A welcoming entry porch on this former—and now almost unrecognizable —commercial structure.

Seven houses—from antique to modern—will be open to the public during the Historical Society's House Tour and Arts Festival on Saturday, Nov. 6. Two of the houses on the tour date back to the town's incorporation in 1732. Both retain the charms of that earlier time but have also been updated for today's living. Roofs have been raised, walls removed, and rooms added, all in such a way as to blend seamlessly with the original architecture. The houses are surrounded by beautiful gardens and landscapes, and visitors on the tour can enjoy the grounds as well as the interiors.

Another pair of houses on the tour is new within the last decade, built to the owners' dream specifications—and original design in one case. The owners moved to them from older houses in town which date to the 1800s. These homeowners have experienced living in antique houses and now in the openness and light that more modern architecture affords. Guests will have to ask them which they prefer! The views from both of these homes are spectacular—each in a very different way.

The other three houses on the tour have each played an important role in the history of the town—one as a printing shop, another as a commercial site, and another as the office of a professional. All have had interesting renovations, while keeping certain features of their original iterations. Many of the homeowners will be available to tell their love story with their home, how they came to buy it, and the changes they have made.

The Arts Festival portion of the Historical Society event will take place at the meetinghouse, 215 Still River Road. Artisans will be set up there starting at 10 a.m., and most will remain for the reception following the house tour. Like the houses, there will be something for every taste: jewelry, from antique to modern; original paintings of houses, animals, barns; and an array of cozy knitted accessories. Shoppers will find a booth of antiques, racks of handmade greeting cards, a display of photography, and more. Visitors can also purchase books about the history of the town and a book written in the 1930s by a woman who lived in one of the houses on the tour.

An 1800s door fronts on a long-gone road to the village center.

Tickets will be for sale at the meetinghouse, and can be preordered by Nov. 3 for $20 by sending a check—along with name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and number of tickets — to Harvard House Tour, PO Box 542, Harvard, MA 01451. Preordered tickets can be picked up at the Historical Society meetinghouse Nov. 6, the day of the tour, starting at 9:30 a.m. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the tour for $25. In addition, tickets will be on sale at that time for an auction of items donated by the artisans. Tour-goers are invited back to the meetinghouse for refreshments, starting at 4 p.m. Winners of auction items will be announced at this reception.