The Lake Mills Area Historical Society will sponsor a Christmas Tour of Homes on Sunday, Dec. 14, as part of the Lake Mills Holiday Festival. The tour runs from 4-6:30 p.m., featuring five locations this year. Tickets can be purchased at any location for $20, and be sure to stop by the 1902 Victorian House for Victorian bread pudding.
The homeowners and the Lake Mills Area Historical Society shared details about this year’s homes.
Jessica Grotewold Home
1405 A North 3rd Ave. East
Don and Doris Grotewold bought the house and surrounding farm from the Steffens family in 1957. It was just a small farm house at this time, but Don and Doris added on and remodeled in 1969 and made several more additions in the following years. Jessica Grotewold purchased the home in 2020.
In 2020, a kitchen living room remodel was done, adding a modern twist on Doris Grotewold’s love for white.
The tour will showcase the Grotewold family’s Norwegian heritage and many decorations of the late Doris Grotewold. This showcase is dedicated to Doris, whose style and eye for decorating and design influenced her family and friends throughout her life.
Bill and Alisa Byrnes Home
302 North Grant St.
The history of the Byrnes home, located at 302 N. Grant, begins in 1977 when it was built by Robert and Lucielle Houtkooper for a cost of $45,000. Robert Houtkooper’s role as the accountant and office supervisor for the local phone cooperative inspired him to include an unusually generous number of phone hookups throughout the house. The home passed to Ron and Judy Rieckmann, Ron being the LMCS middle school band instructor, in November 1986. Finally, in August 2001, Bill and Alisa Byrnes purchased the property.
Over the last 24 years, the Byrnes family has lived there, raising their three children—Brittney, Royce, and Mercedes—and continuously improving the property with updates to the flooring, windows, siding, and upstairs bathrooms.
Alisa’s passion for interior decorating and crafting has deep roots, primarily influenced by her mother, Carol Kolberg. Carol, a nurse by profession, is also an incredibly talented seamstress, crafter, and artist. Alisa grew up watching her mother work with innovative materials like Tri-Chem paints, developed in the 1960s as a form of liquid embroidery for painting on fabric. Carol used these paints for everything from personalized Christmas cards to large-scale paintings. This family tradition is visible in the cherished Advent Calendar that Alisa and her sister Cherise created using the paints and that Alisa has since had framed.
This creative background shines through in the home’s holiday decorations, which deliberately depart from the typical seasonal palette. Visitors will not find the standard red and green here; instead, Alisa embraces bright, vibrant colors like shiny hot pink, silver, and various shades of blue throughout her display. Her use of stockings is extensive, decorating almost every room. The majority of these textiles are handmade gifts from her mother, though a few are cross-stitched creations by Alisa herself.
Furthermore, the holiday decor features a beautiful collection of vintage ornaments from the 1960s and early 1970s, many of which are Shiny Brite Ornaments from her own childhood, recognizable by their original metal caps and rings—a detail that distinguishes them from the later versions with paper caps.
Beyond the seasonal displays, the home provides plenty of visual interest. The basement serves as a dedicated space for entertainment, decorated in a lively sports theme. In addition, the basement is the perfect venue for Alisa’s collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia, which adds a nostalgic touch to the living space.
Jeff and Megan Steele
1003 South Western
1003 S. Western became the Steeles’ home in December of 2013. At that time, they had two daughters, Alayna, 7, and Izzy, 4. They wanted a large family home, as they were looking to have more children one day. They loved the spaciousness of the home and that it had four large bedrooms all on the same floor.
After moving in, they started the long process of renovating each floor of the house. This included replacing all the interior doors, trim, and changing the flooring to luxury vinyl planking. They also completely renovated the three bathrooms in the home. The heating and cooling systems were replaced after a few years, and in 2023, a large three stall garage and new driveway were added.
The only room in the home that hasn’t been completely done is the kitchen, but some minor updates were done, including painting the oak cabinets and replacing the countertops and backsplash. In the next few years, the Steeles expect to have all new cabinets built for the kitchen, and they will replace the countertops and backsplash. They now live in the home with their four children: Alayna, 19, Izzy, 16, Liam, 9, and Norah, 7.
Some of the Christmas decorations, such as the Christmas villages, were Megan’s grandma’s, Eileen Sunde. She always had a beautifully decorated home at Christmas, and the family felt this tour would have been something she would have loved to do. They love hosting their families for holidays and birthdays, and they hope to spend many more years in the home.
Dennis and Sharon Dagestad
107 South 8th Ave. East
While the Dagestads are busy making fresh memories, they also deeply value the traditions that connect them. After a past event led to the loss of their pre-1997 family ornaments, every new decoration they choose is treasured, representing the joy and blessings of their family’s story.
Be sure to look for a few special pieces. The Dagestads are absolutely thrilled to welcome you to their new home! This year marks their first Christmas in the house, and they’re excited to share the start of their new holiday traditions with the community.
Their children cherish decorations painted by their mom during the early days of her business venture, Stolen Moments. These hand-painted treasures remind them that little moments create the most lasting gifts.
One tradition they happily carry forward is the yearly hanging of Christmas stockings for their ever-growing crew of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As you tour the house, know that these symbolize the family memories and love that fill the new space.
The Dagestads are so happy to be part of the Lake Mills community and look forward to a bright and festive season together. They thank everyone for helping them celebrate their new beginnings.
1901 Victorian House
308 South Lincoln St.
This lovely home was built in 1901 by Soren Larson, a prominent member of the Lake Mills community at that time. It has been brought back to its original grandeur through the hard work and dedication of the original members of the Lake Mills Area Historical Society.
Current LMAHS members work to keep this present reminder of the area’s history, preserving it and holding events, such as the Annual Tour of Homes, welcoming all to come and explore this lovely treasure. Join the LMAHS during this year’s Tour of Homes and enjoy some Victorian Bread pudding and other treats in this elegant environment.
Members of the Lake Mills Area Historical Society thank everyone for their interest and support. Anyone who would is interested in having their home on the Tour at a future date may contact the LMAHS by email at lmahistoricalsociety@gmail.com, or text or call Dawn at 319-931-1539 or Regina 641-210-8684.
Any donations may be sent to LMAHS, â„… 302 S Harrison St., Lake Mills, IA 50450.
