40 US Historical Homes That Are Worth the Visit

30.Vizcaya Museum

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was originally the home of James Deering, of the Deering Harvester fortune, which later became the International Harvester agricultural fortune. When built between 1914 and 1922, the property was known as Villa Vizcaya. It stands on over 100 acres in the Biscayne Bay area of Miami, Florida. The villa is a blend of Italian Renaissance Revival, Baroque, and Mediterranean Revival Style, with extensive Italian and French-style gardens throughout the property. Its grounds also include historic Mangrove forests, which have been preserved as part of the museum and gardens. You can see Vizcaya Museum in numerous films throughout the decades.

James Deering was a conservationist, so he developed the property along the shoreline to preserve the forests. Construction began in 1912, and Deering officially moved in on December 25, 1916. After his death and over several decades, his heirs began selling the estate’s surrounding land parcels and outer gardens. They even sold significant portions of the property to the Diocese of St. Augustine to build Mercy Hospital. They did retain the main house, the formal gardens, and the village services compound. In 1953, the home began operating as the Dade County Art Museum, and in 1994 the estate was marked as a National Historic Landmark. Keep reading to learn about the Mary Todd Lincoln House – the second Lincoln house on the list!