Many visitors to Mission Inn imagine that the resort was once a Spanish mission or perhaps a private estate. Tucked away in the rolling hills 35 minutes northwest of Orlando in Howey-in-the-Hills, the history of this site dates back to the early 1900's, when the Florida citrus industry was in its infancy.

In 1916, William J. Howey from Illinois purchased 60,000 acres of prime land in Lake County with the intent of creating the largest horticultural empire in the world. The area and climate were perfect for citrus growth offering rich, sandy soil, excellent drainage and relative protection from frost due to the 100 square miles of surrounding fresh water lakes. He then formed the Howey Company establishing its headquarters in Howey-in-the-Hills with a sales force of some 200 people covering the Southeast.

In 1917, it was determined that a golf course at the north end of town would provide recreation and be an incentive for further growth and development. El Campeon The Champion was designed by George O'Neil of Chicago, who was a master of the game and who had staked out his place among golf's upper echelon for his abilities in architecture. Taking center stage in this land of year-round sunshine were 18 memorable holes of golf. Boasting rare tee to green elevations of 85 feet, towering forests and sparkling and spring-fed lakes. Revered as one of Florida 's finest.

Northern investors traveled to the area by barge through a series of fresh water lakes from Jacksonville to Howey's sprawling tent city that housed early laborers and settlers. Upon arrival, they could purchase acreage, contracting the Howey Company to clear the land, plant 48 citrus trees per acre, harvest and ship the fruit and return all profits to the new owners.

In 1924, the 75-room Hotel Floridan was constructed at the south end of town on the Howey plantation to provide lodging for visiting investors. Within two years, the area was expanding so rapidly that Charles E. Clarke of the famous Troon Golf Course in Scotland was commissioned to further enhance the El Cameon golf course. With the stock market crash of 1929, the ensuing Great Depression, followed by one of the worst freezes in Florida history, Mr. Howey's citrus empire, with all his dreams, came to an abrupt end.

Meanwhile in 1936, Mr. Nick Beucher of Wilmette, Illinois, began his sales career with the Morton Salt Company selling salt to grocery stores, bakeries, meat markets and feed companies in Chicago's western suburbs. After four years of being Morton Salt's outstanding Salesman of the Year, Nick broke his leg in a local rodeo show, which abruptly ended his sales career.

During months of recuperating in Evanston Hospital, Nick decided to fulfill his dream: that of riding the length of Mexico on horseback. So, in 1939, at the age of 21, Nick and a friend, Tex Bunteen, saddled up and spent 39 days riding nearly 1400 miles from Del Rio, Texas to well south of Mexico City, where they were welcomed by the Mayor and put on the front page of the city’s newspaper.

Upon his return from Mexico, Nick immediately became engaged and six months later on June 15, 1940 married Margaret Fortmann. On April 1st, 1942, Nick and Margaret Beucher celebrated the birth of their first child, and the opening of Nick's brokerage business, Packing House By-Products Company. In the years to follow, the Chicago-based firm grew to include the buying and selling of cattle by-products worldwide for meat, tallow for soap making, feeds and hides for leather. The brokerage aspect alone included offices in Chicago, Boston and Jersey City with a staff of 35 brokers.

In 1964, Nick responded to a Wall Street Journal ad and acquired the Floridan Country Club, which consisted of an 18 hole golf course and a 1950s clubhouse, in Howey-in-the-Hills. The initial years were spent renovating and expanding the clubhouse, as well as completely restructuring the badly neglected 18-hole golf course, installing automatic irrigation and planting hundreds of trees.

In 1969, the decision was made to create a captivating, Spanish Colonial golf resort complete with overnight accommodations. So, building began on a hotel and the name was changed to Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort. By 1973, the leather and meat industries were changing so, that Nick decided to retire his brokerage firm and devote himself entirely to developing the resort business.

Over the years, members of Nick's family have joined the business and continue to actively operate the resort. The resort you witness today is a direct reflection of the vision and tireless effort of Nick Beucher, his six children and their dedicated staff.

Mission Inn’s original course layout, El Campeón, 1917, is ranked in the top 10 of Florida's 1500 courses. Las Colinas, a newer 18-hole championship course, founded in 1992, was designed by Gary Koch, former PGA Tour Player. Las Colinas was nominated as Best New Resort Course by Golf Digest and is a consistent recipient of Golf for Women's Top Fairways honor. In 1995, the resort opened the spectacular Clubhouse with new golf shop and “Nicker's”, a casual restaurant and lounge named for its founder. In 1996, the clubhouse expanded to include Legends, a banquet room with golf vistas. In 2005 a fitness center was added to the clubhouse as well as a trap and skeet range and family recreation park.

Throughout the resort, ongoing programs of expansion and improvement continue to assure uncompromising luxury in service and accommodations for our overnight guests and residents. Today, we welcome residents to the new homes and homesites at Las Colinas as well as the villas of Mission Sonoma, Mission Carmel and Mission Santa Cruz, the primary or vacation homes now available at the resort.

Over the years, award-recognition has been a coveted reward for our years of service and achievement. Our conference and golf facilities have been the recipient of such national honors as the Gold Key Award, Gold Tee Award, Planners’ Choice Award, Pinnacle Award and Greens of Distinction. We are also proud to have been a recipient of several Golf Digest “Best Places to Play” in North America, as recent as 2008/2009, and ranked by Zagat as one of “America’s Top Golf Courses in 2003”. Along with a multitude of Meeting Facility awards among the elite as well as Service awards.

We hope that you discover that Mission Inn is a special place to vacation, to entertain, to convene, to live or to simply relax. Come out and play…..  Click here for a complete history of Howey-in-the-Hills.