diff --git a/cmake/Modules/FindHinnantDate.cmake b/cmake/Modules/FindHinnantDate.cmake
index 0d44df51..7ae59c96 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/FindHinnantDate.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/FindHinnantDate.cmake
@@ -9,11 +9,14 @@
 #
 #   HinnantDate_FOUND       - True if the system has the library
 #   HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR - The directory which includes the header
+#   HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR    - The base directory of the library
 #
 # and the following imported targets::
 #
 #   HinnantDate::Date   - The target to use date.h
 #
+# You can set HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR as hint to the location of the library.
+#
 # The target will enable the required C++11 standard in your compiler. You can
 # use any later standard but you have to enable them explicitly.
 
@@ -44,10 +47,16 @@
 
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.1)
 
+# ensure cache entry
+set(HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR "${HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR}" CACHE PATH "Root directory of Howard Hinnant's date library")
+set(HinnantDate_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE "Could NOT find HinnantDate.
+Maybe you need to adjust the search paths or HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR.")
+
 find_file(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE
     date.h
-    HINTS ${HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR}
+    HINTS ${HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR}
 )
+mark_as_advanced(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE)
 
 if (HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE)
     # Validate that correct file is found
@@ -57,11 +66,15 @@ if (HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE)
     )
 
     if("${check_result}" STREQUAL "")
-        message(STATUS "FindHinnantDate: Rejecting found '${HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE}', it seems to be a name twin.")
-        unset(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE)
+        string(APPEND HinnantDate_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE "\nRejecting found '${HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE}', it seems to be a name twin.")
+        unset(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE CACHE)
     else()
         # Check succeeded, create target
         get_filename_component(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR "${HinnantDate_INCLUDE_FILE}" DIRECTORY CACHE)
+        mark_as_advanced(HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR)
+        set(HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR "${HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+        unset(HinnantDate_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE)
+
         if(NOT TARGET HinnantDate::Date)
             add_library(HinnantDate::Date INTERFACE IMPORTED)
             set_target_properties(HinnantDate::Date PROPERTIES
@@ -78,6 +91,6 @@ endif()
 
 include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
 find_package_handle_standard_args(HinnantDate
-    REQUIRED_VARS
-    HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR
+    REQUIRED_VARS HinnantDate_ROOT_DIR HinnantDate_INCLUDE_DIR
+    FAIL_MESSAGE ${HinnantDate_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE}
 )