User:Mattdj/Mistletoe Villa

In 1853 Demetrius Ellis Young sold two acres of land to William H. Hughes, which was claimed to be the highest point between Weldon, NC and Raleigh, NC. {{cite journal | title = Historic home filled with special touches | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Laura | last = Seifert | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}} This land had previously been set aside for an all-male educational academy that had been operating for the last decade. It would instead be used as the site of the Hughes house, a Greek Revival style dwelling {{cite web | url = http://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/people/P000004 | title = Sloan, Samuel (1815-1884) : NC Architects & Builders : NCSU Libraries | accessdate = 2011-01-22 | coauthors = The NCSU Libraries}} which was completed in 1855. In the years following the Civil War Hughes experienced a number of financial problems and became unable to continue repayment of his debt for the land. An extended court battle ensued between the Hughes and Young families and ultimately the land was returned to the Youngs in 1883. The heir to the land, Colonel Ike J. Young, began working on plans for a significant redesign and rebuilding of the Hughes house. {{cite journal | title = Historic home filled with special touches | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Laura | last = Seifert | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}}

It is widely speculated that well-known Philidelphia-based architect Samuel Sloan was commissioned to dramatically redesign the Hughes house. Sloan was working in North Carolina on another prominent structure in 1883, the North Carolina Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Distinct similarities between the completed Mistletoe Villa and the Executive mansion, down to the final color scheme, are often cited by historians as evidence of Sloan's involvement in the design. {{cite journal | title = This Private Agency Stays Busy Rescuing Valuable Old Structures | journal = We the people of North Carolina | date = June 1979 | first = Works of the North Carolina Preservation Fund, Inc. | volume = XXXVII | issue = 6| id = | format = hardcopy}} Unfortunately Sloan died in Raleigh in 1884 before either project was completed.{{cite news |title=Death of Mr. Samuel Sloan |publisher=Raleigh News & Observer |date=1884-07-20 |accessdate=2010-03-18 |issue=56}} As construction was nearing completion in 1885 Colonel Young made a trip to New York City in search of furnishings for the new home where suffered a stroke and died, never having the opportunity to claim the house as a home. {{cite journal | title = Historic home filled with special touches | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Laura | last = Seifert | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}}

The newly over-built house extends beyond the original stone foundation of the Hughes house, which is still visible. A number of indoor elements, including floor boards, mantels and others items were preserved and repurposed in the house. The completed house is an example of Queen Anne Style Victorian architecture and features multi-faceted detail woodwork. {{cite journal | title = Knowing your North Carolina architecture / Queen Anne and Eastlake | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Tara | last = Buck | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}} The house was originally lighted by carbide light fixtures which were fueled by gas generated on the property in a small brick building and piped into the house. Although unusual for the era, the house was equipped with indoor plumbing which was supplied and pressurized by a large reservoir in the attic which functioned similarly to a simple water tower. The house also contained other innovative elements for the time including a "speak tube" which would allow people in the dining room to communicate with servants in the kitchen on the floor below. {{cite news | first = Laura | last = Seifert | title = This old house has found a fountain of youth | date = 1985-09-12 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch | pages = 9A}} A button was also integrated into the floor of the dining room which, when pressed, would alert servants downstairs that assistance was desired upstairs. {{cite news | first = Al | last = Wheless | title = Doors of Mistletoe Villa swing open to third century | date = 2000-01-02 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch}}

During World War II a 30-foot square iron widow's walk on the roof was donated to the US Government which was looking for scrap metal from civilians to aide in the war effort. {{cite news | first = Al | last = Wheless | title = Doors of Mistletoe Villa swing open to third century | date = 2000-01-02 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch}} During that same period trains transporting US troops would pass the house and deliver German prisoners of war to a factory next door to work. Children growing up in the house described having conversations German prisoners with the assistance of a translator as well as playing games of catch with them. {{cite news | first = Scott | last = Ragland | title = Henderson Time Machine Now On Sale | date = 1991-07-06 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch | pages = 1A, 9A}}

It is unknown exactly when the house was given its distinctive name but it has been attributed to "all the mistletoe that just drooled from the trees." {{cite journal | title = Historic home filled with special touches | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Laura | last = Seifert | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}}

Mistletoe Villa was abandoned in 1964 {{cite journal | title = Historic home filled with special touches | journal = midAtlantic Antiques Magazine | date = October 1985 | first = Laura | last = Seifert | volume = II | issue = 10| id = | format = hardcopy}} and would remain unoccupied for more than a decade. Near the end of the 1970s the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and was sold to the NC Historic Preservation Fund to search for a new owners. {{cite journal | title = This Private Agency Stays Busy Rescuing Valuable Old Structures | journal = We the people of North Carolina | date = June 1979 | first = Works of the North Carolina Preservation Fund, Inc. | volume = XXXVII | issue = 6| id = | format = hardcopy}} In 1979 a couple from Washington, D.C. bought the house after seeing it featured in an advertisement in a history-related publication. The couple would complete a 500 mile round trip every other-weekend to make repairs {{cite news | first = Laura | last = Seifert | title = This old house has found a fountain of youth | date = 1985-09-12 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch | pages = 9A}} and would own the house until 1991. {{cite news | first = Scott | last = Ragland | title = Henderson Time Machine Now On Sale | date = 1991-07-06 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch | pages = 1A, 9A}} In addition to using the house as a weekend retreat and project they opened the house to the public and allowed for catered events and parties, a trend that would continue through some future owners as well. {{cite news | first = Al | last = Wheless | title = Doors of Mistletoe Villa swing open to third century | date = 2000-01-02 | work = Henderson Daily Dispatch}}

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{{National Register of Historic Places}}