In 1920, William Howey bought 60,000 acres in Lake County, Florida and set about establishing a citrus empire. A forward-thinking man for his time (hell, still forward thinking today), he hired a female architect, Katherine Cotheal Budd, to build his dream home. The 24-room house was begun in 1925 and completed in 1927.
Over time, the mansion was abandoned and left sitting for about a decade. Finally, new owners set about restoring it to its original glory.
The front door, 2 stories high, features stained glass resembling a peacock tail. Outlining the door are two panels with diamond-patterned stained glass. They are original, as is the light fixture.
The foyer leads to a formal drawing room. Directly behind that imposing fireplace in the center photo is a family dining area that overlooks the spacious grounds. I can just see them, perched upright in their best morning clothes, using the innovative intercom system to call for more tea.
The floors, ceiling beams and ornamental cornices around the drawing room are all original (have I used that word enough yet?) – so almost 100 years old.
To the left of the mansion’s foyer is a formal dining room with amazing workmanship on the fireplace mantel. Behind it are the pantry and kitchen. I figure if I’d been a maid back then, it would’ve irritated me to no end to have to cart a fresh teapot across the foyer and through the drawing room to that back dining area when they could’ve just eaten right next to the kitchen but hey, I’m kinda lazy.
Back to the entryway and proceeding up the center staircase, you reach a cozy library – but this one is special. There is a hidden spring on one of the shelves that trips a secret door right outside the room. It leads down to a basement speakeasy with beautiful glasswork behind the bar and some interesting 1920s light fixtures.
Our guide said there have been rumors for decades of underground tunnels but it seems no one has put in much of an effort to locate them. She’s been told the original plans for the house indicate tunnels. My question would be: Why haven’t you gotten Lidar down there?
Next, we proceeded back up the stairs and on to the living quarters on the top floor. I counted six bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and a smaller drawing room.
One of those 6 bedrooms has this darn-near perpendicular ladder leading to the castle’s turret. Can you imagine the well-dressed flapper female scampering up for a view of the grounds?
Today, there is a sign indicating you should not attempt to climb the ladder. Right. How many of today’s guests do you figure pay any attention to that? I’d be up on the roof in a heartbeat, probably just because they told me not to.
Then there is the mammoth master bedroom and bathroom. I’m pretty sure there’s enough room in there for several couples to practice their Charleston steps before heading down to the party. And in the adjoining master bath, Mr. Howey, a man over 6′ tall, installed the longest bathtub I’ve ever seen.
There is also a door leading out to a private terrace. It has magnificent views of the grounds, a curved staircase that leads up to the terrace from the private, covered driveway below, and a view of the interior courtyard with its fountain, entertainment area and chauffeur’s quarters beyond.
Today, the chauffeur (now called the carriage house) and gardener properties are rentable spaces at $300 a night. For larger parties and/or occasions, the entire mansion is rentable. I believe she said it’s a mere $2,000 a night but I could be wrong. She might’ve said $3,000. In any case, my budget won’t allow me to hold my holiday party there.
Heading back to the interior staircase, we got a good look at the center chandelier. Our guide told us that during the restoration of the property, they brought in a crew that was able to reach the top of it and lower it safely to ground level to be cleaned. Only later was it discovered that the whole thing is attached to a pulley system in the attic.
Today, the mansion also hosts a music series that includes both classical and jazz, a music tradition begun in 1927. William Howey featured an open-air concert by the New York Civic Opera Company and 16,000 of their closest friends showed up. Our guide showed us a photo from the event and, as you can imagine, it sort of looked like a 1920s Woodstock.
The Howey Mansion tour is informative and entertaining. It is not, however, wheelchair accessible. Situated in the rolling hills (I use the term “rolling” very loosely) of Howey-in-the-Hills (yes, named for its founder, William Howey), it’s a scenic and peaceful drive to get there. I recommend taking an extra five minutes to drive down to the Yalaha German Bakery for delicious breads and baked goods on your way home (see blog post titled Yalaha Bootlegging Co. at Bayou Farms & Yalaha German Bakery).
- 1001 Citrus Ave., Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida
- 407-906-4918
- http://www.thehoweymansion.com
- $28.89
- Days fluctuate so check online but the group tour starts at 11:00 AM and lasts about an hour and 15 minutes.
- Not wheelchair accessible
Lisa Browder 
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