Ten years ago, the historic but long-neglected Duncan Manor along Route 66 near Towanda, Illinois, was placed on a list of Illinois’ Ten Most Endangered Historic Places.
Nowadays, the Duncan Manor isn’t out of the woods yet, but improvements have been made, and David and Randi Howell seem committed to restoring it since purchasing the 1860s property in 2014.
Bloomington-Norman Advantage recently focused on the Duncan Manor in a Route 66 guide for McLean County:
“We were living in Colorado and looking at buying something to restore on a smaller scale,” said Randi. “This house just jumped out.”
“We didn’t realize what the house meant to the community until we were here,” she said.
After numerous requests for tours, the couple opened the house for an event in May 2015.
“We had 3,000 people. It was overwhelming,” Randi said.
The couple set up a nonprofit organization to help fund restoration of the mansion and are holding events on the grounds. They eventually hope to have the house open for weddings, community events, cooking classes and gardening seminars sometime next year.
The Duncan Manor’s website explains what the Howells faced after purchasing the property:
Years of neglect have created quite the restoration project! When we moved here in the summer of 2014, we were in camping mode. The Manor had no electricity, plumbing, water, or HVAC. The roof was leaking, walls were crumbling, and porches rotting. Not all of this has changed, but we are making progress!
Here’s a video from a family that toured the mansion in February 2016:
Bud and Diane Sullivan purchase the property in 2008, but little came of restoration efforts at the time. At the time, the estimated cost of fixing up the Duncan Manor was $1 million.
Cattle breeder William Duncan bought 300 acres near Towanda in December 1865, called it Duncan Meadows and built an elaborate house there. Duncan died suddenly of an undisclosed illness in 1876, and the home went through a series of owners since.
Those interested in group tours may contact the Howells by calling (309) 340-4491 or by email at wrduncandesignhouse@gmail.com.
(Image of the Duncan Manor near Towanda, Illinois, in July 2016 by Ron Frazier via Flickr)
Bud and Randy Sullivan you need to get in contact with the owners of Stetson mansion in Deland Florida they have some great ideas on how you can restore your house at minimal cost to you. They had designers come in and design each room. And that gave the designers a showcase for their works. But I really think this would help you in restoring this wonderful wonderful mansion
We drive by every time we drive to Chicago. It always seem to jump out at me love it.. so want to see it
Looking for events & tours of the Duncan mansion for2018
It looks like the building on the back cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Hot Rocks” album