A year of planning by the Barrington Preservation Society ends Saturday morning. It leads to a tour of one of Barrington’s most historic neighborhoods.

“Destination Drownville” is a major fundraiser for the organization. Eight homes and two churches are part of the tour in the Alfred Drown neighborhood in West Barrington. It will run from 10 am to 4 pm.

"It's been in the planning stage for about a year," said Carole Villucci, who operates the Town Museum for the Preservation Society and is a member of the planning committee. "We only do it about 4 or 5 years. It takes so much planning."

Hundreds of people are expected to take the tour, said Villucci. A similar tour about 5 years ago drew 300 to 400 people.

Drownville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to Lynn Kelly of the preservation society.

“With marsh and water views, the cohesive neighborhood still retains the charm of the mid 1850s, when Alfred Drown divided his farm to capitalize on a new Drownville Railroad Station that turned the area into a popular summer destination,” Kelly said.

Rambling farmhouses, handsome Victorians and cozy bungalows with transformations over the years are included in the tour, she said.

The houses are located at 209 Washington Road, 45 Annawamsutt Road, 15 Appian Way, and 13, 27, 33, 45, and 66 Alfred Drowne Road.

The churches are the Methodist Church at 230 Washington Road and the Episcopal Church at 5 Chapel Road.

Each house will have a "captain" and each room on the lower levels in each home will have a preservation society member to explain what visitors will be seeing. The upstairs of each house will be off limits.

The event registration area and parking is located at Barrington Christian Academy, 9 Old County Road. Tickets are $30 and go on sale beginning at 9 am. Buses will take you to the neighborhood. You can tour at your own pace.

For more ticket information, call 245-4364 or visit www.barrpreservation.org.