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Stetson Mansion

• Address: 1031 Camphor Ln, DeLand, FL 32720, USA, United States Map
• Phone: +1-3868730167
• Time Required: 02:00 Hrs
• Tags: Landmark, Historical Site, Family And Kids , Mansion

Stetson Mansion in Deland, Florida is a major historical attraction of the city. The house belonged to John B Stetson and hence is locally known as Stetson Mansion. The mansion was designed by architect George T Pearson who was from Philadelphia in the year 1886. The house was built beautifully and it was considered as one of the most beautiful mansion at that time. It was later renovated in 2008. Although a typical house this is also open for visits by tourists at different hours of the day. The wonderful structure of the mansion makes it more attractive and prettier for tourists to pay a visit.

How to Reach Stetson Mansion

• Rented Car/Taxi
• Stetson Mansion Address: 1031 Camphor Ln, DeLand, FL 32720, USA, United States
• Stetson Mansion Contact Number: +1-3868730167
• Time required to visit Stetson Mansion: 02:00 Hrs
• Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary!

31.82% of people who visit Deland include Stetson Mansion in their plan

95% of people start their Stetson Mansion visit around 12 PM

People usually take around 2 Hrs to see Stetson Mansion

95% of people prefer to travel by car while visiting Stetson Mansion

People normally also visit African American Museum Of The Arts while planning their trip to Stetson Mansion.

Stetson Mansion Reviews & Ratings

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how dd I schedule and get tickets for Stetson Mansion?

you can schedule tour and purchase tickets in advance from their official website. 

Cost to tour

The tours of Stetson Mansion are priced at 30 USD per adult and 20 USD per youth (1-22). For more information, it is recommended that you visit the mansion's official website. 

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THE HOUSE THAT HATS BUILT

Recently named the most underrated tourist attraction in the u.s.a., the stetson mansion in deland, florida stands as one of the most innovative homes of its era..

By Andrew Bradbury

“None but that of sterling quality.”

That was John B. Stetson’s guiding principle when he began his hat-making business in 1865 and, one could say, when he tasked architect George T. Pearson with building his winter estate in DeLand, Florida in 1886. The resulting mansion would be one of the most innovative homes in America at the time and now, after years of restoration, was recently ranked as the most underrated tourist attraction in the country (and among the top 10 in the world) by TripAdvisor, adding to a list of similar accolades from other travel websites.

Pearson, who had had designed Stetson’s groundbreaking Philadelphia factory, used a blend of cottage, Gothic, Tudor, Moorish, (and, in an inspired turn for a secondary structure, Polynesian), details to create a High Victorian wonder; just under 10,000 square feet and a first-rate example of Gilded Age grandeur. Sixteen individual patterns of parquet flooring were featured in rooms on the first and second stories, some with patterns inspired by 17th- and 18th-century quilts and two 3D examples that produced an Escher-like optical effect. Ten-thousand individual panes of glass—many with stained glass designs—augmented the windows that adorned each facet of the mansion.

Stetson’s citrus grove, with temporary “slat houses” built to keep orange trees warm in cold weather (left) and an archival view of the mansion.

It was a technical marvel, too. Industrialist and Stetson friend Henry Flagler built the private railroad that allowed building materials to be shipped directly to the property during construction. Thomas Edison himself (another Stetson friend) supervised the installation of the electricity. It was the first private home in Florida, and among the first in the world, to be designed and explicitly built to be fully electric. Steam heat, with hot and cold water running up three stories, and an electric call bell system that rang throughout put the mansion at the forefront of modern comfort and convenience—as did the three indoor bathrooms (truly, an unheard of luxury at the time).

The surrounding estate, which sat on Stetson’s 300-acre citrus grove contained gardens, gazebos and fountains. There was also wildlife, in addition to the prodigious local bird population. Peacocks and monkeys roamed the grounds, and Stetson had at least two wild Florida alligators (“Ponce” and “DeLeon”) that he delighted in showing guests—an exotic sight for most non-Floridians. Particularly noteworthy, was the 800-square-foot schoolhouse used for educating the Stetson offspring during their winters in DeLand. The Polynesian-style structure featured a striking 15-foot-high plank arched ceiling, lending a transportive South Pacific charm to the grounds (and probably made going to school on glorious sunny days a little more tolerable).

Though commonplace today, Stetson was among the first breed of well-off Americans to spend winters in the Sunshine State. Over the years, he drew to Florida a notable list of Astors, Vanderbilts, Mellons and Carnegies, plus the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) and U.S. President Grover Cleveland, whom he entertained in the opulent style of the times. And while the period in Stetson’s life, seen in the mansion itself, is marked by extravagance, it was also his most philanthropic. He fervently supported local businesses, grew the area’s infrastructure and often entertained groups of DeLand residents at his home—just as he did the vacationing elite. His contributions to the area, including the funding of DeLand College (which would become Stetson University) are still felt in the present.

John B. Stetson died in his winter home in 1906 after ill health. The original contents of the mansion were sold off in 1920. Beginning in 2006, on the 100th anniversary of Stetson’s death, the mansion underwent a meticulous restoration and renovation by private owners Michael Solari and JT Thompson, who have kept all of the architectural details intact, with thoughtful modern upgrades and furnishings that blend styles and periods in a way that captures the eclectic spirit of the original design.

Today, the Stetson Mansion is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Though it remains a private home, the Mansion hosts events and weddings and opens its doors each November for its annual, three-month “Christmas Spectacular,” during which the Mansion is dressed up in its holiday best, with dazzling lights and themed displays. A schedule of historic tours (reservations strictly required) resumes through the year, which allows visitors to learn more about the life of John B. Stetson and see every corner of the Mansion, including the ornate parquet flooring and stained glass windows, Thomas Edison’s original fuse box (featuring the inventor’s handwritten notations), plus the charming Polynesian schoolhouse, which has been converted into a spa-like one-bedroom retreat.

All in all, not a bad place to hang one’s hat.

Photos courtesy of the Stetson Mansion.

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Discover the stetson mansion: the first luxury estate in florida.

Stetson Mansion

The Stetson Mansion, a stunning 10,000-square-foot Victorian listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, was Florida's first luxury estate.

By Sandra Ketcham

When John B. Stetson (he of hat-making fame) wanted a large winter home for his family, first he chose the central Florida town of DeLand as its location and then he chose architect George T. Pearson to design it.

You might think a 10,000-square-foot circa 1886 mansion resting on more than two acres is impossible to miss -- but you'd be wrong.

Hidden just a few blocks south of Highway 44 in DeLand sits the palatial three-story Victorian-style Stetson Mansion .

But is it really Victorian? Well, yes, but it turns that it also includes a unique architectural blend of Gothic, Moorish, Polynesian and Tudor styles.

Sadly, most people don’t even know that Florida’s first luxury estate. But it does thanks to JT Thompson and partner Michael Solari who purchased the house in 2005. Structurally sound, they completely restored the interior and exterior of the Stetson Mansion and successfully incorporated a few modern conveniences into the home such as updated electric and kitchen appliances.

One of the grandest homes built during the 19th Century, Thompson points out that the home is "the epitome of the Victorian era.”

With a Little Help from My Friends

Sponsors from around the country aided the restoration by donating everything from appliances to paint to furniture. One sponsor, Blenko Glass, gifted all the glass vases inside the mansion after learning that John B. Stetson was likely a client.

The work paid off. Visitors immediately notice the spacious front porch and exquisite Tiffany stained and leaded glass windows. Around the estate are multiple fountains, a putting green, gazebo, pool and tranquil meditation garden, complete with hammock. The gardens have a fresh and modern feel, while still melding seamlessly into the overall design of the estate.

Inside are intricate parquet floors in the world, many of which are designed in 3D patterns that change from room to room. One of the most striking features of the home is a glass and wood wall the Stetsons purchased from a French chateau and had disassembled and shipped to DeLand over several years. The wall remains in pristine condition, and the glass is original and dates to the late 1700s.

The lavish home contains pieces from many different eras, including Victorian furniture from the 1880s and from later generations. While none of the furnishings is original to the home, many are similar to those the Stetson family would’ve chosen during their early trips to DeLand.

In Good Company

When Henry A. DeLand, the founder of DeLand, heard that his good friend John Stetson was seeking a warmer climate for his health, he invited him to Central Florida. John liked what he saw, purchased 250-plus acres for use as an orange grove, and built the mansion in less than a year.

Elizabeth, his wife, thought the area was lacking in culture and insisted John cut the size of the house in half. Still, the mansion was one of the largest and most elegant residences of the time.

DeLand became the Stetson family's winter home, and they traveled from Philadelphia each year to enjoy six months of warm weather and sunshine. The Stetsons were some of Florida's first true snowbirds, and they spent their winters entertaining many of the era's most influential and wealthy families.

President Grover Cleveland and King Edward VII were both guests at the Stetson luxury estate, as were the Vanderbilts, Astors, Tiffanys, Carnegies and Mellons. Another guest, Thomas Edison, left his mark on the mansion during construction; the Stetson Mansion was one of the first homes in the world to be equipped with Edison electricity.

Edison was good friends with the Stetsons and stayed in the house to oversee the electrical installation. Some of Edison's original light fixtures remain in the mansion, and the original Thomas Edison circuit box hangs inside the breezeway that connects the kitchen and dining room. Edison’s handwriting is still visible on tags inside the box.

Early guests would have been impressed with the mansion's ornate details and phenomenal craftsmanship. The home was built during the Gilded Age, but before the machine age, so all the elaborate embellishments were done by hand or with steam-assisted machinery.  

Stetson spared no expense when building the house, using the best wood available and even building closets in the bedrooms, which was rare for Victorian-era homes.

Public Tours and Events

Today, visitors can tour the mansion year-round and are treated to the entire estate. No rooms are roped off, and visitors can even look inside the current owners' bedroom and bathroom.

The master bedroom closet is also open for examination and is a new addition to the house. Originally the servants' bedroom, Thompson and Solari have converted it into a large, walk-in closet, complete with three leather walls, a window and an original Edison light fixture on the ceiling.

Tours run 60 to 90 minutes, depending on whether visitors choose the Standard or Grand tour, and begin in the Reception Parlor on the first floor. In this room, visitors learn a little about the history of the mansion while standing beneath a ceiling painted to look like abalone shell.

There’s also a magnificent piano, a Dali lithograph, and a fireplace dating back to 1886. As the tour proceeds through the home's many rooms, visitors hear about the mansion's renovations and the Stetson family‘s life.

Art-loving visitors will enjoy the home’s more-recent decorations, too; different artists from around the country have contributed to the beauty of the mansion’s walls, ceilings and windows.

Winter is a popular time to tour the estate, and the mansion is extravagantly decorated during the holidays to create a magical wonderland of ribbons and lights. Tours to view the award-winning decorations start Nov. 15 and run through Jan. 15.

When You Go...

Stetson Mansion 1031 Camphor Lane DeLand, FL 32720 (386) 873-0167

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Stetson Mansion ChristmasTour

The Victorians started our modern Christmas traditions like gift giving and Christmas trees, so what's better than seeing Christmas in one of the Victorian homes where it all started...at the Stetson Mansion!

• Detailed Overview
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Click the  DEPARTURE DATES TAB to begin your reservation!

$79 per person (Adult) Internet Price (Regular price: $84pp)

Today we are off to the Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular Holiday Home Tour: The baby grand will welcome you into the mansion where each year 10 rooms are embellished with all new elaborate designer decorations and 24 nativities from around the world. Decorations are different each year and geared for Adults. Inspired by popular design elements of the past decade such as Cardinals Are Near When Angels Appear, It Takes A Village, Snow Babies, It’s Cold Outside and Hallelujah! The Christ Child Is Born. This enchanting event includes all the rooms on the ground floor and the 3 bedrooms on the second floor (including the owner’s bedroom, bathroom, and closet.) Just when you think you have seen it all you are then treated to a visit into the original School House which has since been converted into a Zen like guest cottage featuring a soaring 15 ft Polynesian ceiling. The School House might offer a few gift ideas including a picture book featuring Christmas designs by owner, JT Thompson.The 1886 Stetson Mansion is the largest and most spectacular "Gilded Age" residence ever built in Florida before 1900. The grand Victorian mansion has had all of its original rich architectural details restored.The Victorians started our modern Christmas traditions like gift giving and Christmas trees, so what's better than seeing Christmas in one of the Victorian homes where it all started? The Stetson Mansion had one of the first trees ever illuminated with electric lights. That's what you get when Thomas Edison is your bff ! The Stetson Mansion is Florida’s most historic home, but it is not a museum. It is a private residence that is lived in and welcomes guests this time of year with over the top elegant adult holiday decorations.

The tour involves steps and there is no elevator. No photography please.

After our tour we will enjoy free time for dinner in the quaint   downtown of  DeLand , "New England in Florida”. Drive by charming turn of the century homes on Minnesota St and see the campus of   Florida's oldest private university on Woodland Blvd. Stroll down main street and shop for antiques or unique gifts at places like Wolf Gallery .  Check out some of the locals favorite restaurant's - Santorini Greek Cuisine OR De La Vega Spanish Cuisine prior to our departure at 8pm.

An 8% admin fee will be added to this tour at the time of booking. This fee covers various operational costs, including record-keeping, customer support, and maintaining the web site that offers you the convenience to book tours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1:00PM  Depart Beall's in Lady Lake for DeLand

1:45PM  Bathroom stop before we arrive at the Steston Mansion

2:15pm  Arrive at mansion

2:30PM  Mansion Tour Begins

4:30PM  Meet your driver  in front of Stetson Mansion and travel to downtown

The following restaurants are suggested:   

Santorini Greek Cuisine

Address: 136 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32720

Phone: (386) 736-7726

De La Vega - Spanish

Address: 128 N Woodland Blvd DeLand, FL 32720

Phone: 386-734-4444

4:45PM  Bus drop off on the corner of Woodland Blvd and Rich Ave

7:30PM  Meet your driver / Program Director on the corner or Woodland Blvd and Rich Ave. Depart for home.

9:00PM  Arrival time back to The Villages

Departure Info:

Yankee Trails on 441 (next to Lowe's) - 1:00pm

Return Info:

We will depart Deland at 8pm with an approximare arrival in The Villages at 9:15pm. Non stop each way.

Final itinerary

1:00PM Depart Beall's in Lady Lake for DeLand 2pm Bathroom stop before we arrive at the Steston Mansion 2:15pm Arrive at mansion 2:30PM Mansion Tour Begins 4:00 PM Meet your driver in front of Stetson Mansion and travel to downtown The following restaurants are suggested: Santorini Greek Cuisine Address: 136 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32720 Phone: (386) 736-7726 De La Vega - Spanish Address: 128 N Woodland Blvd DeLand, FL 32720 Phone: 386-734-4444 7:30PM Bus drop off on the corner of Woodland Blvd and Rich Ave 8:30 PM Meet your driver / Program Director on the corner or Woodland Blvd and Rich Ave. Depart for home. 9:30 PM Arrival time back to The Villages

Tour Includes:

Round-Trip Motorcoach Transportation

Stetson Mansion Admission

Christmas Spectacular Holiday Home Tour

50 Travel Points

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Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular offers glittering showcase of historic landmark

DELAND — It again looks a lot like Christmas at Stetson Mansion .

After nearly four months of decorating and a year’s worth of planning, the historic landmark’s popular Christmas Spectacular is drawing guests from throughout Central Florida for tours of the home and its carefully landscaped 2.3-acre grounds, less than a block east of State Road 15A on Camphor Lane, all decked out head-to-toe for the season.

“It’s just incredible,” said Darlene Saal, who traveled from The Villages to introduce her friend, Deborah Smith, to the attraction. “It’s breathtaking. Everything is covered in Christmas.”

They were among a throng of midday visitors earlier this week that packed the parking area on the property’s west lawn, eager for an experience to put them in the Christmas spirit.

The Christmas tours now are the only opportunity to tour the nearly 10,000-square foot mansion, once the summer home of John B. Stetson, legendary hatmaker and namesake of Stetson University.

Earlier this year, the home’s co-owners Michael Solari and JT Thompson announced that they were ending historic tours outside the holiday season that had been offered for 16 years to concentrate solely on presenting the Christmas Spectacular.  

“We realized that most of the people come at Christmas,” Solari said, as greeted guests in the home’s parlor. “We spend all year planning this, starting the day after we close the previous year.”

Stetson Mansion is now Christmas Mansion

As part of that focus, the attraction has rebranded itself as the Christmas Mansion, to acknowledge the popular tours and power online searches by those interested in experiencing it, Solari said.

Inside the home, the tour offers a dazzling, imaginative and painstakingly detailed display that blankets 10 rooms in the mansion with 10 different themes. The stories range from a nostalgic “Coming Home for Christmas” village to a salute to the home’s famous namesake adorned with historic artifacts to an “Enchanted Woods” populated by elves and fairies.

In the latter, Thompson, the mastermind of the seasonal décor that changes annually, hand-printed more than 120 mushrooms incorporated into the design, Solari said.

Throughout the home, the décor also includes 15 nativity scenes, reflecting an emphasis that the tour is about Christmas, not a broader defined “holiday” season, Solari said.

“There’s a meaning for everything that’s planned,” he said. “The real message is to celebrate Christmas. It’s a Christmas tour.”

An award-winning Christmas display

Now in its 12 th year, the Christmas Spectacular has garnered an array of travel industry accolades, including a ranking among the Top 10 U.S. Attractions nationwide as part of the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards presented by travel website TripAdvisor.com. It’s also ranked among the Top 10 Holiday Home Tours in the United States by USA Today.

In case you missed it: Stetson Mansion in DeLand ranked among nation's Top 10 in attractions by TripAdvisor

Built in 1886, the Stetson Mansion features 10 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, along with a schoolhouse and carriage house.

Thompson and Solari bought the mansion in 2005 for $565,000, according to Volusia County Property Appraiser records. Although they had renovated some homes and hotel properties in South Florida, they had no previous experience in working on historic architecture.

On a shoestring budget and with the help of sponsorships from some 325 companies, they spent 18 months and more than $3 million to return the neglected home to its Gilded Age glory.

At Christmas time, that glory is awash in the spirit of season.

“It’s absolutely exquisite,” said Linda Roy, who traveled from Jacksonville to see the display for the first time at the urging of a friend in DeLand. “It’s beyond what I could have expected: the imagination, the color, the details. It’s just fabulous.

WHAT: Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular

WHERE: 1031 Camphor Lane, DeLand

WHEN: Self-guided and guided tours offered daily through Jan. 20, with exception of Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1. Reservations required at stetsonmansion.com

COST: $29.50 adults, $15 for ages 1-22 (plus tax and fee) for self-guided tours; $38 adults, $25 ages 1-22 (plus tax and fee) for guided tours.

ONLINE: stetsonmansion.com

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Tour iconic hatmaker’s Gilded Age estate, Stetson Mansion

Florida’s first Gilded Age luxury estate — Stetson Mansion — was built in DeLand for famed hatmaker John B Stetson in 1886.

“The largest and grandest home in Florida before 1900 was also the most advanced, the first to be designed with electricity, steam heat and hot and cold running water,” said Michael Solari, co-owner and architectural historian of the mansion.

On a guided group tour, explore three floors that include Victorian, Moorish and Gothic elements throughout. No rooms of the home are off limits, as well.

“Visitors are treated like guests and even invited to sit on the furniture,” Solari said.

The mansion boasts 10,000 panes of original glass keyhole windows and 16 patterns of the nation’s most rare parquet wood floors. The rest of the estate’s 2.3 acres feature gardens, gazebos, fountains, patios, pools, schoolhouse, green house and carriage house.

“Guests will enjoy commentary that includes history and restoration details,” Solari said. “They will experience a stunning mansion where 95% of the original building is preserved while every modern convenience has seamlessly been incorporated for modern living.”

Built in a Polynesian style, the schoolhouse was created for the Stetson children. Today, the structure is a Zen guesthouse and includes a meditation garden next to it.

The original carriage house is no longer a part of the current estate, but a new one was built to replicate the mansion’s architecture. The green house, however, sits in its original placement and was updated after being in disrepair.

Stetson Manion’s “Christmas Spectacular!” was named the No. 1 Holiday Home Tour in Florida and the No. 3 Holiday Home Tour in America by USA Today.

“Elegant displays in 10 themed rooms are completely different each year,” Solari said. “The Christmas tour is on Fodors and Bob Vila’s top 10 lists, so it does sell out.”

Christmas tours operate November 1 to Jan. 16 and can handle groups of up to 100 per tour time.

Stetson Mansion is a National Historic Place and named Florida’s Most Historic Home. Guides can accommodate groups of up to 25 at a time.

For more information call 386-873-0167 or got to stetsonmansion.com . •

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Lucy Tobias

Travel, gardens and environment in florida and beyond, stetson mansion is the best mansion tour ever.

Stetson Mansion in DeLand is Florida’s first luxury estate. Built in 1886 as a winter retreat for Philadelphia hat manufacturer John B. Stetson and his family, the house, built to last, still wears its legacy of luxury.

Rooms on the first and second floor were laid out with 16 different patterns of parquet floors, many based in 17 th and 18 th century quilting patterns. Each piece is hand cut, hand installed and even the nails holding them in place are hand made.

These are without doubt the most beautiful parquet floors I’ve ever seen. It was hard to stop staring at the floors and look up to see what Joann, our lively guide, was showing us next in a room.

 “The House That Hats Built” contains 10,000 leaded glass windows, many with stained glass patterns. Pretty amazing they are still in place, letting in light, and quite stunning.

When the 10,000 square foot house was built it featured three indoor bathrooms. Don’t laugh. That was a BIG deal in those days. Rich people liked to show off their wealth such as the extravagance of indoor bathrooms. To do this they made a visual announcement. The bathroom plumbing was run along outside walls so people walking or riding by would see just how rich the Stetsons were.

By the way, the mansion now has 13 bathrooms, including the three original ones.

Why have all this opulence without admirers? Indeed. So the Stetsons entertained a lot including the President of the United States (Grover Cleveland) and the future king of England (King Edward). I’m assuming the guests used the bathrooms after dinner.

Stetson wanted to build a 20,000 square foot house but his wife Elizabeth (wife number three) was appalled. They already had a 37,000 square foot house in Philadelphia and well Florida was the boonies. What was there to do here?

So Stetson downsized to 10,000 square feet and made sacrifices, like combining a music room and library into one room instead of two. This is a beautiful room. I could live here.

But he didn’t stint himself. One of those three bathrooms was in his suite.

In those days, before cell phones, before television, heck, even before cars, people had sitting rooms where they actually sat and talked to one another. Imagine! Separate bedrooms were the norm then – Elizabeth and John gathered together in the evenings to sit and talk in a sitting room that sat between their two bedrooms. Later that room became the nursery for their three boys.

Stetson had friends in high places. Henry Flagler, of railroad fame, built a spur railroad right up to the property making it easy to unload building materials. Thomas Edison came to personally oversee the installation of DC (direct current), which he championed. The fuse box he installed still sits right outside the kitchen. Check it out. Direct current needed a power supply nearby, because it did not travel distance. That is why it eventually lost out to AC, which could.

How do I know all this? Because our lively guide Joann shared a vast trove of history and hospitality. She made us feel both welcome and connected to the past glory and present elegance. On every floor we were engaged and enchanted.

My personal favorite was the third floor, available for viewing if you do a full tour. On the third floor the family could kick back and relax, plus there is a lovely rounded balcony where surely a mattress was dragged out for sleeping in the open air.

Tripadvisor® lists taking a guided tour at Stetson Mansion as one of the top ten things to do in Florida, right up there with visiting Disney. Now that is awesome.

But, I hear you asking, how come you haven’t heard of Stetson Mansion before? Good question. I’ve been going to DeLand for years and only recently saw a post on Facebook about guided mansion tours during Legacy Week (July 13-21, 2019). So I signed up for a full Stetson Mansion tour (meaning you get to see all there floors, the regular tour does two floors).

A few things you need to know:

Stetson Mansion is a private home NOT a museum. There is no government funding.

Stetson Mansion is NOT located on the grounds of Stetson University which is situated in downtown historic DeLand. The Stetson Mansion address is: 1031 Camphor Lane, DeLand, Fl. 32720.

Stetson Mansion is NOT open to the public. The gates are closed. Access is by guided tour only. You must buy tickets ahead of time. Prices vary by the tour. No photography allowed inside the house.

So to answer the question why you may not know about the house – this luxury home stood in obscurity for a long time, running through a succession of private owners after Stetson died in 1906 and later his widow sold the house and all the contents.

Thirteen years ago two owners, Michael and JT, bought the home. They began a thoughtful restoration plus much needed modern enhancements (more bathrooms, AC and air conditioning plus landscaping to name a few). With such a large undertaking, some $600,000 for starters (the original house cost $60,000 to build) they must have wondered, and maybe still wonder WHAT HAVE WE GOTTEN OURSELVES INTO?

The first floor rooms are done with period furniture while upstairs master bedrooms show modern individual taste. From time to time historical Stetson family items are on display, loaned from the Stetson University archives.

There is even a secret closet now found on the second floor. In the 1800’s homeowners were taxed by the number of doors in a house. Doors were bad. So a corner would be blocked off with a curtain, or shelves inset 12 inches deep for holding clothes. Twelve inches? Hardly hold a modern wardrobe.

Modern Solution: an opening was cut into Stetson’s master bedroom wall revealing a small room where his manservant slept. The manservant had to enter his room by an outside door along a hallway used only by servants. If called by his master, he’d exit the room, go down the hallway and knock on Stetson’s bedroom door.

By cutting into the wall and revealing the servant’s room, this space became a lovely walk in closet, perfect for modern day clothes hanging, shoe storage and more.

The kitchen got a huge makeover. The floor, when the new owners moved in, had red shag carpet. Ugly. It had to go. The new owners hoped for a surprise underneath – perhaps more parquet floor? Instead they found linoleum. Then another layer of linoleum, seven layers in all and finally pine floor, so disappointing but not surprising.

Rich people back then didn’t spend a lot of money on servant amenities like places to live or work. No Stetson ever went into the kitchen to fix a midnight snack. Instead they rang a bell and a servant appeared to do their bidding.

Now the kitchen has entered a modern luxury phase with exquisite granite counters, top of the line stove, refrigerator and a beautiful wood floor. On the ceiling is a Barcelona fan and it is part of the updated new vibe that permeates the house.

Even $600,000 wasn’t go to do it all, more money needed, so sponsors were sought and 350 signed on to showcase their products. Some companies had a presence when Stetson was active in the 1800s. After the renovation was complete the owners opened the mansion for a three-month Designer’s Showcase where every sponsor got acknowledgements including the fan maker.

The showcase generated a demand for more house tours and so it has come to pass. Stetson Mansion Past and Present Tours are given three times a week, but check carefully for upcoming dates and special events.

If you like historic homes and heritage travel put Stetson Mansion on your bucket list.

They are closed in August. In September Stetson Mansion will have a fine china tableware show September 10-14 of china probably used by the Stetsons including Wedgewood, Lenox, Royal Dalton and Staffordshire.

For Christmas, Michael decorates every room with elaborate designs. The Stetson Mansion has a Christmas Spectacular holiday home tour that lasts from Nov. 15 through January 15 and it is insanely popular.

Mark your calendars.

Note: Photo of the exterior of Stetson Mansion by Lucy Tobias. Parquet floors photo from the Stetson Mansion website.

Bookstore1, 12 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota, Florida is having a Suncoast Local Book Fair on Saturday, Aug 10 from 11-5. Great lineup of authors! I will be there from 2-3 p .m. come visit get a free finger labyrinth and a hug.

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Christmas Spectacular at Stetson Mansion

• Address: 1031 Camphor Lane, DeLand, FL 32720
• Phone: (386) 873-0167
• Presented By: Stetson Mansion
• Dates: November 1, 2024 - January 18, 2025
• Recurrence: Recurring daily
• Location: Stetson Mansion
• Price: Reservations required; self-guided tours, group bookings and guided tours available

Step into the grandeur of the Christmas Mansion for 2024 “Christmas Spectacular!” at Stetson Mansion in DeLand. Built in 1886 for famed hat maker and philanthropist John B. Stetson, this winter retreat was the only richly detailed “Gilded Age” mansion built in Florida. Now rescued, restored and updated, its current residents are carrying on the tradition of extravagant displays with an event that has been named among the “Top 10 Christmas Homes” by Bob Vila, “Best Holiday Home Tours in America” in the USA TODAY’s “10Best” Readers’ Choice Awards and among the “Top 10 Best Attractions in the US” by TripAdvisor. Guided and Self-guided tours of Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular include 10 room themes. Decorations are over-the-top examples of elegant and reverent displays which complement the mansion’s rich architectural details. The 60-75-minute tours are held multiple times a day from November 1, 2024, through January 18, 2025. Tickets are $29.50-39.50 adults, $15-25 youth, plus tax and booking fee; Advance reservations required; booking is available online.

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USA Today Readers Honor Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular

DeLand, FL – Stetson Mansion is honored to have been named as one of the top Historic Holiday Homes Tours for two reader’s choice awards! Stetson Mansion was chosen as Florida’s winner in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers Choice travel award contest for Best Holiday Historic Home Tour – placing third on the national list. 

Florida’s Most Historic Home was also named as the second-place winner in Fodor’sTravel Guide to Southern Holiday Homes and is the top tour in the state! They hope to earn those pre-pandemic honors again this year when they open Nov 1st for “A Decade of Christmas Joy.”

Located in DeLand in West Volusia, this year’s “Christmas Spectacular!” journey through Stetson Mansion features 23 Christmas trees, over two dozen Nativity scenes, several peacocks – a nod to Stetson’s love of the birds – and 10 elaborate themed rooms. Decorations change every year. Room themes this year include “Angels Appear When Cardinals Are Near,” “A Rockwell Kind of Christmas,” “Heroes Tribute,” “Snow Babies... It’s Cold Outside,” and “Hallelujah, The Christ Child Is Born.”

“It was such an honor for us to be recognized as one of the best holiday historic home tours for two years in a row,” said Michael Solari, Co-owner of Stetson Mansion. “For three months, co-owner JT Thompson -- with only the help of one guide, JoAnn Heinle -- labor to transform this home into the bedecked wonderland you will see, all to help honor Jesus, John B. Stetson, and the visitors we hope to bring some holiday joy to.”

The Christmas Spectacular at Stetson Mansion will offer 7 self-guided tour times daily from Nov 1 through January 22, 2022. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. It is expected to bring more than $3 million to the West Volusia economy. For more information and booking Stetson Mansion tours, please visit StetsonMansion.com .

Background Stetson Mansion, known as the “House That Hats Built,” was the home of John B. Stetson – Florida’s first “snowbird” – who left an amazing cultural legacy beyond the world’s most famous hat. Stetson was known for giving back to the community and donating generously to charities, as well as for being a progressive employer. He had a specific affinity for DeLand and made it his family’s winter home. He became the main benefactor for the state’s first private university – named Stetson University in 1889; and brought electricity to DeLand, making it the first area in Florida with electric streetlights. One of the first sets of Edison Electric Christmas tree lights hung on Stetson’s tree. The Stetson Mansion is the first and only “Gilded Age” mansion in Florida and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Jennifer aniston gave fans a rare glimpse of her $21m la mansion during her emmys glam session.

Before Jennifer Aniston graced the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards red carpet, she treated her 44.8 million Instagram followers to something far more exclusive: a rare, behind-the-scenes tour of her sprawling $21 million Los Angeles mansion.

The “Friends” star, known for keeping her private life under wraps, pulled back the curtain on her stunning midcentury-modern home, located in posh Bel Air, while getting ready for TV’s biggest night.

In the video, shared the day after the Emmys, Aniston offered a candid glimpse into her luxurious lifestyle, giving viewers a front-row seat to her jaw-dropping property. The estate, originally designed by famed architect A. Quincy Jones in 1965, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, dark hardwood floors and modernist sculptures.

But it wasn’t always this warm.

After purchasing the home in 2011, Aniston brought in designer Stephen Shadley to revamp the space, adding earthy textures and personal touches to soften the mansion’s sleek aesthetic.

“Jen is drawn to wood, stone, and bronze, materials that have real substance and depth,” Shadley explained in an interview with Architectural Digest. “No matter how beautiful or glamorous something is, it has to be warm and inviting.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jennifer Aniston (@jenniferaniston)

In typical laid-back Aniston fashion, the video begins with a close-up of her breathtaking pearl-colored, strapless Oscar de la Renta gown before slowly panning across her luxurious living room.

As she paused to admire the space, fans got an eyeful of her home’s midcentury charm. And while her Emmy gown was undoubtedly a showstopper, her home, worth a reported $21 million, was the real scene-stealer.

The video showed Aniston gracefully wandering through her mansion, eventually stopping in the library — a highlight of her estate. With a floor-to-ceiling bookcase filled with gold-bound books, and a section reserved for the many awards she’s racked up over the years, the space epitomized the blend of Hollywood glam and cozy comfort.

Among her trophies? The Emmy she won for her iconic role as Rachel Green on “Friends,” proudly on display alongside countless other accolades.

But it wasn’t all about showing off her enviable pad. Aniston’s down-to-earth nature shone through when she warmly embraced her longtime friend and “The Morning Show” producer, Kristin Hahn. Clad in a chic green dress, Hahn appeared to be just as at home in Aniston’s palace as the star herself.

During the pair’s heartfelt reunion in the library, viewers got to see them surrounded by luxe furnishings and a massive wall of windows.

Of course, the tour wasn’t complete without a peek at Aniston’s ultra-luxe makeup station. Surrounded by lightbulb-framed mirrors straight out of a movie star’s dressing room, Aniston was seen getting her makeup and hair perfected before heading to the Emmys.

The grand finale came when Aniston and Hahn stepped through the mansion’s dramatic front entrance. The Emmy nominee made her exit through massive doors covered in eye-catching irregular gray stripes, making her way to the red carpet in style.

Aniston’s “The Morning Show” was a top contender at the Emmys, with her and co-star Reese Witherspoon both competing for the same award. However, it was Anna Sawai’s tearful win for “Shōgun” that snagged the night’s top acting prize, leaving Aniston and Witherspoon empty-handed.

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