Mission Hills Heritage Master Builder Tour

Saturday, September 28 10:00am to 4:00pm

Check-in 15 minutes before your tour is scheduled to start. Tours will start at the United Methodist Church.

Master Builders of Mission Hills

Join Mission Hills Heritage on Saturday, September 28, 2025, for our 17th Annual Historic Home Tour. This year’s theme is “Master Builders of Mission Hills,” and the home tour will feature up to six homes in various architectural styles built by early twentieth century Master Builders.

Many of the homes you see today in Mission Hills and other older neighborhoods of San Diego were designed and built not by trained architects, but by builders who started their careers as carpenters and tradespeople. They learned how to read and draw plans and honed their craft, constructing some of the most beloved bungalows, foursquares and other types of homes that make up our neighborhood today. These are the unsung heroes of early Mission Hills!

Our tour will feature homes built by some of the most notable builders of the time, including Martin Melhorn, Nathan Rigdon, Morris Irvin and Alexander Schreiber. These builders often purchased groups of undeveloped lots in new tracts and built homes on speculation, as well as building custom homes for new residents. Builders such as Martin Melhorn even platted their own small tracts and built entire blocks of new homes. Some used stock plans and added endless variations or came up with entirely new designs based on the popular styles of the day. The lasting beauty and quality of their work has shaped our community and has led the City of San Diego’s Historical Resources Board to designate these builders as “Master Builders.”

Guests on the tour will explore both the exterior and interior of the homes. Docents will provide historical information regarding the homes and answer questions. Details about the homes’ builders and early occupants will provide color and context to the era in which they were built. Mission Hills Heritage will draw on its many years of hosting home tours to provide an engaging and educational experience. Attendees will also receive a tour booklet with write-ups on the featured homes and information about the Master Builders.

“We are excited to have our full tours back and are planning to provide a wonderful experience for our guests,” said MHH event committee co-chair Sharon Lieder. The home tour builds on the Master Builders theme of our lecture series held this past May. As always, refreshments will also be provided to tour guests.

Advance tickets to the home tour are highly recommended and may be purchased below. Homes may be viewed in any order and will open from 10 AM until 4 PM. Will Call and ticket sales will be conveniently located, opening at 9:30 AM and closing at 2:30 PM. Only cash and checks will be accepted on tour day.

We hope to see you on the tour!