A 1962 Missouri house bought by its current owners in 2013 was transformed into the ‘African Queen,’ with a 15-foot Zulu warrior and a 20,000-piece crocodile mosaic; the unusual retreat is now asking $1.2 million
A 1962 Missouri house bought by Michael and Lisa Willhoit in 2013 has been transformed into the “African Queen”, a highly unusual retreat with a 15-foot Zulu warrior sculpture, a 20,000-piece crocodile mosaic and interiors filled with materials sourced from different parts of the world. The Springfield property is now on the market for $1.2 million.According to Realtor, the African Queen is a 3,176-square-foot home designed by Don Russell in 1962. The property sits on four acres in Springfield and is built directly above spring-fed water, with ponds, a creek, waterfalls and gardens spread across the grounds.The home has been used as a short-term rental and is currently listed as an active property. The listing says it could continue as a private residence or be used as a hospitality destination or a “healing nature retreat”.Much of what makes the house unusual is inside. The property has monumental doors sourced from India, reclaimed 18th-century Indonesian teak and light fixtures made using ostrich eggs and gemsbok horns. Its floors also include an intricate wood mosaic made from oak, walnut and ebony.
A house filled with unusual details
The mosaic floor was created by New York City-based Archetypal and contains approximately 550,000 pieces of wood, according to the current listing. Among the artwork is a 20,000-piece crocodile mosaic.The house also has four-inch Carthage stone countertops and a wood-burning fireplace with an indoor grill. One of its more unusual features is a two-inch-thick glass floor that looks directly into the spring-fed water below the house.The natural setting continues into the home through its bluff room, which is built into the surrounding rock. The room has a custom copper hot tub and adds to the property’s connection with the landscape.The primary suite has two balconies, a fireplace and a sitting area, along with a 260-gallon aquarium. Its bathroom has sinks made from 1,000-year-old petrified wood and an oversized walk-in shower. The guest bathroom has a hammered copper soaking tub.
Missouri’s African Queen has Indian doors, 18th-century Indonesian teak and ostrich egg light fixtures.
The 15-foot Zulu warrior
Outside the house, one of the most visible features is a 15-foot Zulu Warrior sculpture by Tom Ehlers and James Hall. The sculpture stands on an island on the property and is one of the details that has helped give the African Queen its distinctive identity.The grounds cover about four acres and include spring-fed ponds, a creek, waterfalls and mature gardens. The current listing also mentions wildlife on the property, including a family of otters.The house’s design was intended to work with its natural surroundings. Its water views and outdoor landscape are visible from the living spaces, while features such as the glass floor connect the interior directly to the spring-fed water beneath the home.
A $1.2 million Springfield listing
The African Queen is currently listed for $1.2 million. The property has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and covers 3,176 square feet. It was added to the market about 15 days before the Saturday’s listing update.The Coldwell Banker listing describes the home as an architectural icon in Springfield’s Brentwood area and says it has become one of the Ozarks’ recognisable residences.The African Queen was also the No. 1 property on Realtor.com’s list of the week’s most popular homes. Its combination of unusual architecture, elaborate interior details, water features and the large Zulu warrior sculpture has made the 1962 house stand out among other properties recently attracting attention.
