mayowood mansion

We went there and took a hooded tour of the home. It was very elegant and warm. They were under construction so we did not see everything but is was worth seeing.

Mayowood Mansion is so historical and beautiful. I strongly recommend a tour of it. The shuttle bus will pick you up at a designated area and take you there, as there is very little parking at the mansion. The grounds are keep up with many flowers, The stone work is amazing and the balcony....I have no words. I live in Rochester and still tour it once a year. In November they decorate it for the Holidays. Price is very reasonable. $8.-12/each..or something close to that. It takes about 2 hours.

We were waiting for this tour and were not disappointed. The tour guides were very informative and the Olmstead County Historical Society should be commended for their work. The price was fair and tour was just long enough. See you in the spring

We toured the Mayowood Mansion during December while visiting Rochester. The decorations are very nice. It was refreshing to see the Mayo Foundation has taking over the preservation of the mansion as the local historical society was not able to fund it and provide for the upkeep. The Mansion is nice and I anticipate it will improve as the Foundation continues with needed work.

We went for the Christmas tour. Its a great old house and it is nice to have some history left in Rochester.

We toured the Mansion on Dec 14, 2014. The ladies of the historical society had done a wonderful job of decorating the house as it might have been in the period of time when the Mayo children were young. It is a truly beautiful old home with its old wood panelling and ornate ceilings. Thank you for all the work you did to make the mansion a Christmas spectacle. We also enjoyed the hot apple cider and the delicious cookie at the end of the tour.

We made reservations in advance with out of town guests who were very excited to see it during the holidays. We were told over the phone that it was by "appointment only" and that there were two tour times that day that were not "overcrowded". We chose one of those times, as one of our guests is older and wished to have the time and space to take it all in. The tour started a few minutes late and we were concerned that already there seemed to be too many people to fit into the foyer. The guide was quite nice but it was clear immediately that all the people waiting were not for two groups, but one. It was so crowded, hot, uncomfortable, that we and others could not even fit into the room or area the guide was describing. We stood back and glanced around waiting to get into the room, but by the time others had moved forward and through, the guide had already moved on and we couldn't see everything she was talking about. It looked beautiful and the most special and poignant decorations were the childrens' rooms recreated and the authentic family photos that told a tale of a family who clearly enjoyed the house and land and their agrarian roots. Just unfortunately not worth the money when it was so inexcusably crowded, not everyone could see or hear much of what was going on and it was hot and stuffy in areas. Also very disappointed the barn was not open, as this was one of the word-of-mouth attractions we were looking forward to.

This Mansion sat without any maintenance for many years. It is a work in process with much of the restoration completed on the 1st 2 floors, and exterior. It has been decorated for Christmas. Other than the Christmas decorations, everything is as when the last of the Mayo's lived there in 1969, even the clothes and reading books. Very interesting tour by a lady that has been giving tours for about 7 years and knows a lot of the history of the Mayo's. This is well worth the visit, and hope you have time to enjoy it all. During the day, you can see across the valley.

At the beginning of the $15/pp tour we were told there are 2 ballrooms and an observatory. Well, not until you are 40 minutes into the tour do they tell you that those floors "are under construction". No photos allowed. Neat house but not really of the era as numerous updates have been done over the years

Great guided tour gave interesting insights into the Mayo family. 42 room 24,000 sq ft mansion was beautiful wooded acreage. Rooms were decorated for Christmas and was very beautiful. Great Christmas event!

The co-founder of the Mayo Clinic built these mansion, and the Olmstead County Historical Society gives one hour tours. The house is gradually being restored, although it looked to us that much of the work in the mansion itself has been completed. The house is decorated with many of the original furnishings and includes family photos. The tour gave us a peek into the character, talent, and interests of the Mayo family. Our insight that we gained from visiting this home is that the success of the Mayo Clinic owes much to the energy and intelligence of its founders.

Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, built "Mayowood in 1911 and lived in it until 1939. The estate features gardens and Dr. Mayo’s decorative arts collection. Over 40 rooms are furnished in French, English, Spanish, German and American antiques." Recently renovated by the Mayo Clinic, it will be festooned in Christmas bunting in November and December. If you're interested in historical buildings and the Mayo brothers, you'll be delighted.

If you enjoy learning about the history of Mayo, this is a must see! The guides are knowledgable and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Mayowood, the country estate established by Charles and Edith Mayo (Mayo Clinic co-founder), is gradually being restored to its original splendor. Much work has been done to both the exterior and the interior of this grand 23,000 square foot mansion, home to three generations of the Mayo clan. The beautifully wooded and landscaped site of the home overlooking the Zumbro river is well worth a visit (arranged through the History Center of Olmsted County). Built by local craftsmen who worked on plans developed by Dr. Charlie, the 42 room mansion is much restored and decorated primarily with furniture from three generations of the family who lived there. Looking much as it did in the 1960's, the home and grounds immediately around the home are gorgeous. Much work has been started to restore the ponds, lake, bridges, gardens, and the like. As the restoration continues, visitors will find even more to love about the estate.

Visited the Mayo home, built in 1910-11, loved the setting near the Zumbro river. Beautiful home that really felt like family was important to the Mayo's. Tour guides are knowledgeable and have a passion for the home and the family.