Abandoned Mansion

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This fascinating piece of property has been abandoned for a long while.  It’s known as the Howey House, in Howey-In-The-Hills, Florida.  I stumbled upon the property during a recent visit to this lovely lake-side community.

This home once belonged to the “Howey” of Howey-In-The-Hills:  William John Howey (1876 – 1938).

When Mr. Howey passed away, in 1938, reportedly the mansion remained in the family until a cunning banker talked Mr. Howey’s widow into a reverse-mortgage.  Unable to maintain the payments on the reverse mortgage, the mansion fell into foreclosure, hence its current state.

Sadly, the mansion stands in total disrepair, with little hope for restoration.  A few Howey-In-The-Hills locals told me it would cost far more than the home is worth to restore, or make the mansion livable again.  There is no air conditioning, which is a must-have in Florida, this alone would cost, they estimated, close to $600,000.  Other repairs could cost more than one to two million, I learned.

Perhaps someday the mansion will be restored by a good Samaritan with money to spare!  Regardless, in January of 1983, the mansion was added to the US National Register of Historic Places.

Howey-In-the-Hills, FL
Howey-In-the-Hills, FL
Howey-In-the-Hills, FL
Howey-In-the-Hills, FL
Howey-In-the-Hills, FL
Long view of the Howey mansion gate arch
Clear decay – sad.
An open window – perhaps a home to squirrels, or birds, or who knows what. the outline of a piece of furniture, perhaps a couch, can be seen through the window.
Howey-In-the-Hills, FL