Foreclosure: Springfield, MO’s $15M African Queen Estate Drops to $990K

$990,000 | Built 1962 | 3,176 Sq. Ft. | 2 Beds | 2 Baths | 4 Acres

2829 S Lone Pine Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, United States, 65804

One of Springfield, Missouri’s more unique properties has been substantially reduced as it faces foreclosure. Once on the market as much as $15 million and just last year for $8 million, this one-of-a-kind estate has just been reduced to $990,000. Gone are the truly spectacular antiques and furnishings, what remains, still awe-inspiring, is an architecturally intriguing canvas for a new owner. The estate, aptly named The African Queen, was developed by Michael Willhoit who is reportedly a huge fan of the 1951 movie The African Queen. He made his fortune in real estate and selling exotic cars in Springfield, and according to Daily Mail sunk $3 million into remodelling the home. He was indicted in 2019 in a $1.4 million bank fraud scheme.

Built in 1962, the home offers a little over 3,100 square feet of space and includes a modest 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms on a manicured 4 acre estate. It’s obvious no expense was sparred in the extensive remodel of this unique home, but prepare yourself when you read some of the features. For starters, inside you’ll find a 550,000 piece mosaic wood floor assembled out of Oak, Walnut and Ebony that also includes a 17-foot long, 20,000 piece image of an African Crocodile. The cost, $400,000 for a mere 900 square feet. There’s also a 2-inch thick, 8-foot x 5-foot glass floor looking into a creek, the kitchen includes a 1000-year-old 4-inch thick Carthage stone countertop while one of the rooms features a handmade full-size copper hot tub built into the bluff, and that’s just the beginning. Previous listings also showcased a 58-inch x 48-inch x 20-inch 265 gallon salt water aquarium, a 3,000 pound bronze rhino from London, a custom 2-inch shake room from British Columbia, two 7-foot tall hand-carved wooden tusks cut in Africa in c.1890 and much, much more. The property has been on and off the market since at least 2016 with a rather strange pricing strategy. It went from $15 million in 2016 to $9.8 million in April 2017 and back up to $15 million in late April 2017 and down to $6.9 million in May 2017. The property was recently on market for $15 million via Zillow and was also listed on eBay for $8.9 million. It has since been reduced to $990,000. Who knows if it will ever sell, but until then we can continue to marvel at the quality and detail put into this place. It’s on the market with Donald R. Hancock of Hancock Company. Photos below show the home furnished, it is currently vacant. To see current listing photos click here.

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