I have done some research and have found out some history about the mansion I fell in love with. The information is below. Howey in the Hills (Our Town) was named after William John Howey, which WAS his home I found hidden in the orange groves. VERY INTERESTING, information is below, I will highlight the parts about the house.
William John Howey was born on January 19, 1876 in Odin, Illinois. At age 16, "Bill" Howey began selling insurance and by 1900 began developing land and towns for the railroad in Oklahoma (My HOME STATE). he opened the Howey Automobile Company in Kansas City in 1903 at age 27, and after making seven Howey Cars, closed his business and went to Perez, Mexico where he bought a large tract of land, hoping to develop pineapple plantations with help from American capitalists, but the Mexican revolution forced him back to the USA.
William John Howey was born on January 19, 1876 in Odin, Illinois. At age 16, "Bill" Howey began selling insurance and by 1900 began developing land and towns for the railroad in Oklahoma (My HOME STATE). he opened the Howey Automobile Company in Kansas City in 1903 at age 27, and after making seven Howey Cars, closed his business and went to Perez, Mexico where he bought a large tract of land, hoping to develop pineapple plantations with help from American capitalists, but the Mexican revolution forced him back to the USA.
Howey perfected his citrus farming and sales program techniques in the Winter Haven, Florida. area. In 1914, Howey began buying land in Lake County (OUR COUNTY) for $8 to $10 per acre and sold it for $800 to $ 2,000 per acre after it was cleared and planted with 48 citrus trees per acre. He married Mary Grace Hastings from Harrisburg, Pa on April 13, 1915, his second wife, and they adopted two daughters, Mary and Lois Valerie.
The Florida Land Boom tripled Howey's enterprises and the Town named after him was incorporated on May 8, 1925. To celebrate the completion of his 20-room, 7,200 square foot Howey Mansion in 1927, he hosted the entire New York Civic Opera Company of 100 artists, drawing a crowd of 15,000 arriving in 4,000 automobiles to the free outdoor performance. The Mansion was built in Mediterranean Revival style at a cost of $250,000 (in 1926 non-inflated dollars), is presently in private ownership, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The collapse of the Florida Land Boom in 1926, the Stock Market Crash in 1929, and the Great Depression of the 1930s contributed to a decline in land sales. Howey ran unsuccessfully as a Republican Candidate for Governor in 1928 and 1932 and though his dreams were never fully realized, he was known as Florida's greatest citrus developer when he died of a heart attack in Umatilla, Florida on June 7, 1938 at the age of 62. After an untimely death at age 16, Lois Valerie was laid to rest with William on August 13, 1941. Surviving daughter, Mary married George E. Smith Jr., residing in Eustis, Florida. Grace died at age 92 on December 18, 1981 and was placed in the third of six vaults in the family mausoleum, a small Georgian marble structure replete with filigree glass doors, and a stained glass window to diffuse the rays of the setting sun, located on the Mansion property.
(So he is buried behind the house in a vault…its privately owned and I’m not sure if anyone lives in it, I would love to go in and take pictures but I’m thinking that isn’t going to happen soon. If by some how I can get in I will update you on it)
