Mistletoe Villa, one of the most impressive Victorian homes in the state, is an important and historical landmark in Henderson, NC.  It was built by Colonel Ike J. Young between 1883 and 1885, on the foundation of an earlier (1855) Greek Revival house that belonged to the Hughes family.

It has a long and diverse history. Starting from before the civil war, the house and grounds were completely different in size, type and area from today's property. To fully appreciate the history of Mistletoe Villa you need to go back to the original Greek Revival house built in 1855.

The original house was built by the Hughes family in Henderson about 1855 as a Greek Revival. To my knowledge, no pictures or drawings of this structure survive or ever existed. If anyone has any knowledge or any information please let me know.

After the Civil War, Hughes lost the house after losing his business and finances. There were several attempts to acquire the property by various persons who claimed legal ownership. After several years Col. Young finally won and ended paying $100.00 for the property to Mr. Hughes plus a great deal of legal expenses.

Col. Young was a prominent businessman in Henderson.  Many important and influential political and business figures were often entertained at Mistletoe Villa. Between 1883 and 1885 Young had the house renovated and made into a Queen Anne Victorian. I have the original specifications for this conversion which I will place here at a later time. Young had nearly all of the original materials recycled into the second floor (third level). The fourth level is an attic large enough for a small house.

The total square footage if 7,200 +/- according to the city records. The first level is a raised lower level which was used for servants by Young. It was most likely slave quarters for Hughes before the war. Family tradition and stylistic similarity attribute the high-style Queen Anne design to Samuel Sloan, a noted American architect and architect of the governor's mansion in Raleigh.  Exclusive of the raised lower level and full attic, the house contains 4,235 sq. Ft. 

The surrounding acreage is enhanced by azaleas, boxwoods, crepe myrtle and specimen magnolias, pecans and oaks.

The house features eleven fireplaces, finely detailed woodwork, and 9 and 11 foot ceilings.

A tour through the upper floor will reveal many architectural elements that are from the Greek Revival period.  It is also believed that the wood flooring on the second floor is from the main floor of the original structure.

One of the great ironies of Mistletoe Villa is that Col. Young never lived in the house. After years of court battles and finally acquiring the property, Col. Young was out buying furniture when he died suddenly. It is believed that he had a heart attack. His widow finished the modifications on the property and then moved in with her family.

For many years members of the families of the Young's, Dodd's and Coopers occupied the house. There are many interesting stories that have been passed down about the families that lived there and that is part of the tour or formal events of Mistletoe Villa. Please visit the Events page to see more. There are many living relatives to Ike Young including R. G. Young, Jr. the Mayor of Henderson (retired).

Eventually the original families moved out into more modern houses and the property lay fallow. It was purchased by two people from the DC area, Frank Guldseth and Micky Young (no relation to the original Young family), and used as a get-away and personal project. Their work on the house took twelve years, painstakingly restoring the elaborate plasterwork ceilings. Research has shown that the exterior was painted in bold colors that was the style of Victorian homes. A few of the original furnishings are still in the home.  Most have been distributed throughout the Young family.  Many fine antiques have been purchased to replace those of the Young family.

After more than twelve years, they placed it on the market and it was purchased by Ralph Outcalt. He hosted many events and worked to bring Mistletoe Villa into the public consciousness of the residents of the community. Continuing to furnish the house and make repairs and improvements, he made the house available to schools and the community with "open house" events. He also offered catering in the elegant and graceful style of the period.

Now Mistletoe Villa is the property of Skip Brown of Henderson. The property has been extensively updated with central air conditioning and gas heating. Handicapped facilities and access have been added. An enormous renovation of the grounds has resulted in incredibly beautiful  landscaping. More gracious than ever, Mistletoe Villa offers the only Historical residence in downtown Henderson. It is also the only historical property that is available for public use. Contact us for more information.