Who was Peck Heflin? If you’ve admired one of Fredericksburg’s distinctive early-20th-century homes or historic commercial buildings, chances are you’ve seen his work.
Elmer Grimsley “Peck” Heflin was a Fredericksburg native who began working as a carpenter at age 15 and became a building contractor by 18. After teaching himself architecture through a correspondence course, Heflin went on to design and construct homes and commercial buildings that helped shape the character of Fredericksburg.
The 2026 Candlelight Tour celebrates Heflin’s craftsmanship and lasting legacy, inviting visitors inside beautifully decorated examples of his work while exploring the story of the self-taught designer and master builder behind them.
Tour the historic home at 1200 Washington Avenue from 5–7 p.m. on Saturday, December 12. Then continue the evening downtown with a pub crawl at Alpine Chef and Colonial Tavern from 6–8 p.m. Two drink tickets are included.
Help welcome guests and make the 56th Annual Candlelight Tour possible.
Support historic preservation while putting your business in front of Candlelight Tour attendees.
Promote your business in the official 2026 Candlelight Tour booklet.
The HFFI Holiday Candlelight Tour is a Fredericksburg Tradition – a legacy of the vision of a dedicated group of local young women.
The year was 1971. The recently former Junior Board of Historic Fredericksburg, Inc. was searching for a new source of money to support the preservation organization. Mary Wynn McDaniel, chair of the board’s Ways and Means Committee at the time, remembers that the idea of a holiday tour was viewed as a promising new way to raise money. However, instead of hosting it in the spring, which would compete with the Virginia Garden Week Tour and divide precious volunteer resources, this new event would debut in the winter when people wouldn’t be interested in gardens. As recounted by Mrs. McDaniel, it was particularly comforting for these early tour organizers that “in daylight, there were a lot of things you didn’t want people to see: candlelight meant that your didn’t need perfection.”
The fledgling group of nearly 50 women- ages 22 to 39 according to the bylaws- quickly got to work. Mrs. McDaniel recalls, “We were young and interested in doing things the right way.” Evidence of their dedication to high quality were trips by Junior Board members to Colonial Williamsburg to research Christmas foods and punch to serve during the tour.
One of the most challenging tasks in those early years – as it is still today – was convincing local residents to open their homes to the public. But generous homeowners, willing to support what was then known as “Historic Fredericksburg”, opened their houses to make the fundraising event possible. Mary Wynn and her husband, Charles McDaniel, offered their home, the Sentry Box, at 133 Caroline Street. Grace Spicer, senior advisor to the Junior Board, agreed to open her house across the street at 136 Caroline. They convinced other neighbors to sign on, and soon the first Historic Fredericksburg Tour was set.
