Built in 1910 for local businessman W. A. Steed, the three-story President's House is one of Florida's most prominent examples of Neoclassical architecture in a residential home. The house was built according to reverse plans of Sears Roebuck and Co.’s “Magnolia” catalog home for a base cost of $5,000. The 4,500-square-foot house was later bought by Judge J. W. Perkins, then by James Williamson Jr., and finally by the university in 1948. The home replaced Holmes Hall, the president's first residence. Today, in addition to housing President Wendy B. Libby and her family, it is used for important functions and meetings.
Distinctive features include the entrance porch with Ionic columns, one-story side extension, Spanish tile roofing and two chimneys. Over the years, a free-standing garden pavilion and southside porch were added for entertainment purposes, and the gardens were expanded to showcase native Florida flora. Notable visitors who have been guests at the President’s House include President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, primatologist Jane Goodall, author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, First Lady Barbara Bush and conservative commentator William F. Buckley.
418 N. Woodland Blvd. DeLand, FL 32723
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