lilian place historic house

Lilian Place is the oldest house on Daytona's beachside. Built by one of the city's first settlers, Laurence Thompson, in 1884. It is a prime example of Italianate High Victorian architecture with its high ceilings, wood crown moldings and heart-of-pine floors. It is one of only two such structures in this style remaining in the county. The house also has a "widow's walk" which is based on a New England design which allowed the wives of whalers to watch for their husbands returning from sea. Lucille, the mystery ghost of Lilian Place, has been causing mischief for over 100 years. Strange incidents have been rumored through the years including a woman dressed in white, laughing children, and a man resembling Stephen Crane, the famed author of the Open Boat. Crane was aboard his boat "Commodore" when it sank off the shoreline of Daytona Beach on December 31, 1896. Crane made it to shore and was taken to Lilian Place to recuperate. The house has been restored (completely by volunteers), furnished, and opened to the public as a museum. Tours are conducted Wednesday through Monday, 1 - 4 p.m. Only $5 per person. Our tour guide, Dave, was amazing. Very knowledgable and entertaining. Totally worth a visit!The capper.. I took a pic of the house. All the windows of the house looked the same. My wife took a pic of me in front of the house from the same spot that I took my pic.. There was a face in the window and the house was empty.. Lucille?

We arrived at the Lilian Place just as they were closing but the tour guide was very gracious and took her time to show us through the house and tell the story of this beautiful old home. The house had several pieces that had been donated and added to the charm of the period home.

Beautifully cared for and partially restored home. On-going restoration illustrates devotion to preservation by members. Docents very knowledgeable. Peaceful grounds and friendly people. A good experience!

Insight on how it used to be. The Thompsons were pioneers an this is proof. Informative tours. Well preserved building and luscious grounds. Must go to Lilian Place!

My wife and I first attended a wedding and reception at both the Lillian House and the Hotchkiss house in October, 2014. GREAT!!! We then returned for the Christmas night time tour. wow!!We loved it. We have lived in Daytona for 35 years and have now found a real Jewell and a place to bring our many out state visitors. If you haven't visited, put it on your immediate bucket list. It will not disappoint.

We enjoyed touring this hidden gem in Daytona Beach. We learned a lot about the history of Daytona Beach and those who want to preserve what little is left. It is worth the $5 admission to get a possible glimpse of the ghost of Stephen Crane.

I visited Lilian Place Historic House in December 2013 during the holiday season and was treated to an excellent tour regarding the house's origins and its inhabitants. All for a cost of $5! After learning about author Stephen Crane's famous recount of visiting Lilian Place, I later purchased his book. For history and literary buffs, Lilian Place won't disappoint.

Last night I went on the Candlelight Tour and really enjoyed the tour. Loved the Christmas decorations and the home was beautifully decorated. This is a hidden gem. Very interesting history.

What a gem in Daytona Beach! I was lucky enough to take a tour of Lilian Place with Nancy Long, the founder of the historic preservation foundation that bought, restored and maintains this lovely home. She has considerable knowledge of the area and home. She definitely made everything come to life. It is a beautiful home filled with Victorian antiques and even has a resident ghost. The home has been restored and is maintained by volunteers. It is wonderful they saved this home and host many community events on the property. Next door is the Hotchkiss house where monthly teas are held. If you are in the area definitley make time for a visit to Lilian Place!

As in most places in the USA, we have not always valued our old homes and places. Many are torn down to make way for new homes. But we have a friend who is on the board of Lillian Place and she took us there recently for a sock hop. They are always looking for ways to encourage people to go there. They do tours and you learn about life in the past, but they do have musical evenings there and the sock hop was one such fund raiser. It was fun. You approach the place through the yard which is large and very green and looks towards the river. There is a large wooden deck which they use as a place to sit and enjoy the sun going down over the river with a nice drink in hand. Very close to the bridge going over to the ocean, you can imagine what the place was like years and years ago. Whoever lived there (I cannot remember all the history) had a fabulous view and also a lovely place in which to live. You can go online and find their opening hours for a tour with one of the many supporters of this historical house. Lovely to go and experience time gone by.

Wow Lillian Place Historic house is gorgeous on the outside. Take pictures in front of it. I really enjoyed the landscape.

The history of this home is brought to life by the tour guide. The home was at the brink of being torn down to allow a condominium development. Fortunately a grass roots effort made by some local residents with an appreciation for what the home meant to the history of Daytona Beach rolled up their sleeves and did all that was necessary to save the home. There is a continuing effort to make improvements to return the home to its original glory supported by a group of dedicated people. We arrived during normal open hours, but the home was closed for a group reservation. We were told that the home would reopen about an hour later. There are teas held monthly that the proceeds from go a long way in supporting the home. Check on the schedule to be sure the home is open, but don't miss touring this home.

I enjoyed this piece of history right in the middle of all Daytona. It was not what I expected, it was much more. The tour guide was so knowledgeable. My kids even enjoyed the tour.

Don't miss it. This house is a perfect condition and the tour is something that you don't expect. In 1 - 1,5 hour your are guided back in time The hostess knows everything about the house and their occupants. Besides she loves it and that shows.

My husband and I considered buying Lilian Place when it was bank owned, run down, and on the road to being torn down. When Nancy Long of the Heritage Preservation Trust looked at Lilian Place she saw an irreplaceable piece of history about to be lost, so she set out to rescue it. Nancy and others volunteered their time, spending countless hours renovating, restoring, and breathing life back into this oldest home in Daytona. I recently revisited Lilian Place and felt as if I was stepping back in time. The beautifully restored riverfront home is now filled with donated antiques. Having seen Lilian Place when it was in such disrepair, I can only imagine the work and effort that was required to bring this historic home and its lovely gardens back to their former glory. It’s a must see for residents and visitors!