2021 LANDMARKS ILLINOIS RICHARD H. DRIEHAUS FOUNDATION PRESERVATION AWARD FOR STEWARDSHIP
Through passion and creativity, David and Randi Howell have restored Duncan Manor, the 1866 Italianate farmhouse on old Route 66 near Towanda once listed on Landmarks Illinois’ Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois. After purchasing the historic home in 2014, the couple embarked on a restoration project to make the then uninhabitable home livable again. They began with installing heating, air conditioning, ventilation, plumbing, electricity and a new roof before moving on to more detailed preservation projects throughout the house. The Howells created a 501(c)3 foundation to keep this historically significant site open and accessible to the public. Today, the Duncan Manor is reopened and restored and is a popular and iconic destination for tours, concerts, weddings and other community events.