DeLAND, Fla. – One of the best holiday historic home tours in the United States is right here in Central Florida.
The Christmas Mansion, also known as Stetson Mansion and located in DeLand, ranked No. 2 among the top 10 best holiday historic home tours in the country, per USA Today’s 2023 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award Contest.
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This award is “chosen by a readers’ choice vote from a list of 20 homes selected by a panel of relevant experts,” according to the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority.
“We are honored to be recognized for our Christmas Spectacular home tours,” Michael Solari, coowner of The Christmas Mansion, said in a statement. “Each year, we put endless effort into the design of a magical Christmas experience with an emphasis on the reason for the season with 10 elaborate and elegant room themes. It is wonderful to see our hard work appreciated on a national scale.”
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According to West Volusia Tourism, the mansion was home to John B. Stetson, a famed hat maker and philanthropist.
“Not only did Stetson become the main benefactor for Florida’s first private university – Stetson University – but his presence in DeLand and the building of his home brought modern amenities into Florida. Built in 1886, Stetson’s mansion is the first and only Gilded Age estate in Florida and was the first home in the state to incorporate Edison electricity, steam heat, indoor plumbing and a call bell system,” a statement reads.
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To see the full list of holiday historic homes, click here.
And to tour the mansion, click here for more info.
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