♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Spread across 46 acres of northeast Fayette County, the Montauk Historic Site celebrates Iowa history and family heritage simultaneously.

(Hannah Frederick] I always try to explain it to people that it's a really beautiful big house, but in the end, it was a really beautiful big farm house.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Montauk Historic Site celebrates the life and accomplishments of a New England native who ended up being Governor.

William Larrabee was born in Connecticut.

At the age of 21, Larrabee made his way to Iowa after becoming a teacher.

His career moved into many interests, including farming, milling and banking.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] After becoming a prosperous businessman, Larrabee built his 14-room mansion and farm on a hilltop overlooking the Turkey River Valley.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] The site gained its name from William Larrabee's wife who wanted to honor the Montauk Lighthouse on Long Island that guided her fisherman father back to port.

♪♪ (Hannah Frederick] So, Mrs. Larrabee built a big house on top of a big hill, which at the time you could see miles through the valley.

A lot of it is grown over now.

But at that time, you could.

So, that way when her family was coming in, they saw Montauk and knew they were home.

[Kohlsdorf] While his farm grew, so did Larrabee's political aspirations.

He served multiple terms as a State Senator and in 1885 he was elected Governor of Iowa.

Larrabee finished a second term as Governor in 1890 and returned to his home in Fayette County.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Today, the Montauk Historic Site offers visitors a glimpse at farming practices of the 1890s and the Larrabee family legacy set in picturesque northeast Iowa.

♪♪ (Hannah Frederick] The Montauk itself, I personally think it's really amazing because it's all original.

It's all original to the family.

Everything in there was used by the family and owned by the family.

Some of our pieces, our oldest piece in the house goes back to 1650.

And some of the family heirlooms go back to the 1770s.

So, it's just a really fun, unique house and you can really just get an idea of not only how the family lived but life back then.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Montauk Historic Site is open for tours Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The grounds are available for visitors to explore year-round.

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