This home stands on ancient ground once walked by the Timucua and Seminole peoples, and later worked by enslaved and freed African-American families who tended its groves and built its foundations. May their memory remain alive in this house, in the water, and in every story still being told.
From the Timucua who once fished these shores, to the Mather-Smith family who filled these rooms with music and celebration, to the many hands that restored and cared for her, every era has left its mark on this home.
She has carried many names across her lifetime — The Williams House, The Oak Tubb Inn, and now The Oakland Manor House, affectionately known as OMHouse. The name reflects both her place on the map and her quiet invitation to presence. “Om,” the sound of origin and return, feels fitting for a home that has welcomed so many transformations.
Today, OMHouse is more than a historic property. It is a living tribute to continuity, honoring the keepers who came before and the future she still calls toward.
Welcome to OMHouse.
Where history breathes, and presence begins.
Historic homes carry a pulse you can feel before you cross the threshold.
The Oakland Manor House is one of those rare places where the land and the walls seem to remember.
Her story reaches far deeper than the early 1900s construction or the founding of Oakland. This lakeside ridge has held life and history for more than ten thousand years, beneath ancient oaks and along the shifting waters of Lake Apopka. With each generation, OMHouse has continued to evolve, gathering layers of memory, character, and spirit.