How itcame to be

The Howell Hotel + Farm

Before there was a homestead, it was Bill’s place: nine acres in Black Hawk, a cozy cabin worn with time, and an infamous green shed. Bill bought it with his youngest daughter, Tatum, in mind: room for the animals she loved, a dependable daily rhythm, and some of the structure he knew growing up on his family’s farm in Aberdeen.

Bill and Tatum traded their two-bedroom apartment in the city for that cabin among the trees. Tatum raised the first of many flocks from Green Shed Headquarters, right there in the front yard. Charming, rustic. Some may say dated, perhaps. But it was theirs, and that was more than they could ask.

As Tatum finished high school and Bill turned the house into a home, his newlywed sister Wendy began looking west. Wendy was one of two girls among a total of nine Howell siblings raised on that farm in Aberdeen. The nostalgia for farm life comes much easier when the chores are optional.

Wendy and her husband, Robert “RT” Hogan, proposed a summer place on the same land: a foothold in the Hills, within reach of family around Sioux Falls and away from Florida heat. Brad Tomecek of Tomecek Studio translated the idea into the breathtaking Black Hills Homestead, completed in 2016—two homes, connected enough for family and separate enough to preserve sibling peace.

The Hogans gave Black Hills summers an honest try. Their dog, Bubbles, took an unfortunate interest in what the cows left behind, and the breeze offered proof that the homestead, as beautiful as it is, was still created to be a working farm. By the time the leaves began to turn, Florida won.

The guesthouse remained—beautifully built, fully furnished, and quiet much of the year, only occasionally lighting up for family, friends, and friends of friends passing through. Between the visits, it remained Bill and Tatum’s daily, quiet piece of paradise.

In 2020, Bill’s oldest daughter, Rainey, was finishing her bachelor’s in media when COVID-19 upended what we all knew as normalcy—any traditional internship opportunities were flattened. So, Rainey, mid-pandemic, created a role where none existed. With the intent to preserve the heart and spirit of the property, Rainey started with a logo that developed into a brand. From a booking strategy to a business plan to execution—all within a semester.

By Spring, The Howell Hotel was welcoming travelers from across the country and beyond. Reviews, guestbook entries, and return visits confirmed what the Howells always knew: this was a special place, with special heart.

Today, The Howell Hotel operates as a year-round short-term rental experience, with Bill himself taking on the main operations, covering guest services, maintenance, and everything in between. Other days may bring a cousin’s graduation to celebrate, a friend’s gender reveal, or the occasional Porsche shoot. The Howell Hotel is always looking to turn an ordinary occasion into an unforgettable experience. Please reach out to us on the INQUIRE page if you have something special coming up—we’d love to be a part of the story.