The history of The Mansion at Elfindale is almost as old as the history of Springfield itself. The land title abstract indicates that the original purchase of the property occurred in September of 1848, at a price of $1.25 per acre.

John O'Day, one of Greene County's first millionaires, bought the 400 acres of land in 1888. Mr. O'Day was attorney and vice president  for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. Only 200 acres were developed, beginning with construction of The Mansion in 1890. Stone for the building was quarried on-site; fifty stonemasons from Germany were hired to do the work, which took three years to complete. The finished structure had thirty-five rooms, seven baths, and 27,000 square feet.

Sadly, the O'Days were divorced shortly after the Mansion was completed. Clymena Alice O'Day received the property, then known as Park Place, in the divorce settlement. Mrs. O'Day began with the naturally magnificent grounds, softened and beautified them with the aid of man's art into blended landscapes, and gave the estate a refined, harmonious environment.

There was a stream running through the area where the stone was quarried. An island was fashioned, complete with an iron and stone pagoda. A lake was created by building a dam in the stream . There was a boat house for canoes, a summerhouse, and a greenhouse. Flowers, lily pads, and peacocks were everywhere. Mrs. O'Day brought in trees from all over the United States and Europe. There are some 20 different species still here.

It was at this time Mrs. O'Day changed the name from Park Place to Elfindale. According to reliable sources, this change came about after she observed that in the early morning, the mist rising from the lake looked as though tiny elves were playing in the dale, hence the name Elf-in-Dale.

Rooms on the first floor included the library, music room, parlor, dining room and breakfast room. Also on the first floor was the ballroom with its own separate entrance. Before the divorce the ballroom was a state dining room, where the Governor of Missouri was present on various occasions. The O'Day family sleeping quarters and guest rooms were on the second floor. The south staircase was used by the family and rose from the first to the second floor only. This staircase has now been extended to the third floor for the convenience of our guests by eliminating one of the original rooms. The north staircase rises from the basement to the third floor. The third floor was formerly used as sleeping and living quarters for the servants. The kitchen and laundry were, and still are, located in the basement.

In six years' time Mrs. O'Day had depleted her funds and decided to sell the property in the early 1900's. She felt that the property had been ordained by God for use by Him.

Although she had received offers ranging from $180,000 to $259,000 for the house and surrounding grounds, she decided to sell the property to a Catholic order of nuns from St. Louis, the Sisters of the Visitation. The sale was completed for $30,000, and the sisters arrived here in May of 1906. At that time Springfield had a population of 2,000. In September of 1906 The Mansion became the St. d'Chantel Academy for girls, which operated from 1906 until 1964. The Sisters built the adjacent chapel (now used extensively as an elegant wedding chapel ) and the three-story classroom building (now used as general offices and Christian education classrooms by Cornerstone Church ).

The property was sold once again in 1977 to a group of Iranian business men for a price of $1,540,000. It was intended to be used as a safe house for the Shah of Iran.

Cornerstone Church acquired The Mansion and thirteen acres of the original property in September of 1979. Construction of the present sanctuary facing Elfindale Street began in the fall of 1985, and was completed in 1986.

Full restoration and renovation of The Mansion began in the fall of 1989, with the present inn opening on June 1, 1990.