Historic Homes of Minnesota

Swiss Inspired Church in Saint Paul

2009-07-13T06:42:00.003-05:00

German Presbyterian Bethlehem Church

311 Ramsey Street, Saint Paul

Built in 1890 by the infamous architect Cass Gilbert along with James Knox Taylor, this whimsical German church, in my opinion, invokes a Hansel and Gretel feel. With its shingle style architecture, the stone work looks like something out of Switzerland. Amazingly the church seems to fit perfectly in the hilly landscape and is hard to miss as you drive up Ramsey St to the Summit Avenue mansions. During World War I, the church was disbanded and is currently a professional building.

A Simple Victorian Being Restored

2009-07-10T22:49:00.004-05:00

I have driven by this house quite often in Saint Paul over the last year. It was a multi-unit building up for sale, and being a Realtor, I have watched its progress on the market. Finally, in April, the home sold at a very cheap price. It has always been my suspicion that the original siding was still on the home.

Yesterday I drove by the home to find an exciting site. The new owners are in the process of restoring this simple, but soon to be beautiful Victorian. I love it when the original trim work and decoration lays hidden because it gives the restorer the design template often destroyed as historic homes fall into neglect. It also quite often offers clues on the original porch design, as you can tell by color variations on the wood where the porch roof line fell. Below is a photo of what they have uncovered for decorative trim.

Hopefully within the next year, we will see a final product, and another old home thankfully saved!

Romantic Victorian in Dayton's Bluff

2009-07-07T21:03:00.003-05:00

732 Margaret Street, Saint Paul

Built in 1891 by Hermann Kretz, a well known architect in the area, the home was designed for the Henry Defiel family. Mr. Defiel owned the People's Ice Company, obtaining ice in the winter from Lake Minnetonka and White Bear Lake.

The architectural detail in this Queen Anne Victorian is unique since the exterior is constructed of brick. The masonry touches, as seen in the oval windows on the front of the home, give the home a slightly romantic feel. The home has roughly 4000 square feet and is located in Dayton's Bluff.

Fantastic Architectural Detail in Des Plaines, Illinois

2009-07-03T23:10:00.003-05:00

I traveled to Des Plaines, Illinois this week while visiting family in Chicago, and came across the Des Plaines Theater. It has some amazing architectural details influenced by the Art Deco period along the top of the building's exterior.

Designed in 1925 by architect William B. Betts, the building was built to house the Polka Brothers Chicago circuit, held nearly 1000 people, and had a stage and orchestra pit. As you can see from this photo dated 1925, there were originally pillars on top of each little dome of the roof ridge line.

Hidden Italianate Home in Nokomis

2009-06-10T09:52:00.004-05:00

5028 Hiawatha Ave, Minneapolis

This fantastic example of Italianate design his a hidden gem in the Nokomis area of Minneapolis. Built sometime around 1875, it is one of the oldest surviving historic homes in the area. In the recent past, the home has been restored, and the colors chosen really make the home stand out in the neighborhood. The home originally has a cupola on the roof, since removed, and evidence still exists on the roof with the square cap. Looking at the front of the home, I would guess it also had a front porch, as the lower windows do not have window hoods, and the siding is different where a roof line would have been.

Beautiful decorative window hoods still adorn the windows.

Blue Queen Anne in Saint Paul

2009-05-30T21:25:00.004-05:00

431 Ashland Ave, Saint Paul

Built in 1890 by Ole Ask, this beautiful home is one of my favorites on Ashland. I am not sure if it is the perfect shade of blue that does it for me, or the white gingerbread trim around the house, but the home just stands out on its street. Amazingly, according to Larry Millett, the home was originally built at 825 Dayton Ave, and was moved to this location in 1977.

Here is a photo of the house that use to stand at 431 Ashland Ave.

Advertisers Needed for Historic Homes Tour Book

2009-05-26T09:36:00.002-05:00

The Ramsey Hill Association in Saint Paul is currently looking for businesses interested in advertising in the upcoming Ramsey Hill Historic Home Tour to be held this fall, September 2009. If you are interested and would like a rate sheet of ad space available, please send an email to Jennifer Kirby, Jennifer@theLuxuryAgent.com . As a neighborhood association, the funds generated by the house tour go directly to running the organization. We would love to see local businesses in or surrounding the Ramsey Hill area, Crocus Hill, Summit Hill, and Saint Paul participate, but welcome others outside the area. We would appreciate responses by May 31, 2009.

Copyright

2009-05-20T21:28:00.003-05:00

A recent incident that is now recurring is forcing me to write this post about copyright of photos used on this site. (Notice the "Do not Copy" notice on the leftside of this blog.) To some people, it is ok to go onto the Internet and lift photos of other peoples work. They then use these photos on their websites without permission. They either do not care or don't know the law, but either way, what they are doing is stealing....oh, and Copyright infringement.

As a visitor to this blog, I am sure you can easily see that I travel around the area taking photos of historic homes, then post them to my blog with a story about the home. It's what I do, and the whole reason for this blog, which is to educate locals and others about the great historic resource we have in Minnesota through our homes and buildings. Taking these photos takes time, energy, patience, and creative thought.

What many people fail to realize is that even though the Internet is public domain, the content is not free for all to use. The general rule of thumb (in this instance) is that once a photo hits a hard drive, it is considered copywritten. The photo does not have to have a copyright notice on the photo, nor a big C. In order to use a photo, one must obtain permission from the source. So for those people out there that "right click and save" and then use the photo, you are committing copyright infringement.

Any excuse you give does not matter. Taking something created by another without permission is wrong.

I could go into greater detail, but I don't want to clutter up my nice blog with a post such as this. I just want you to know, that I work hard to write this blog, so please do not steal my stuff. Simple as that.

If you want to learn more about Copyright law as it pertains to blogs and websites, please visit a great lady's blog regarding copyright law, Lenn Harley, for in depth articles on the subject.

Historic Fort Snelling Buildings Might Get a Face Lift

2009-05-06T22:20:00.002-05:00

For those of you who read my blog, you know I focus on more than just historic homes. I like to feature churches and buildings,too, and anything with historic significance. Today I read that the Upper Post buildings at Fort Snelling could be getting funds to fix a few buildings sorely in need of repair.

"On Tuesday, the Hennepin County board accepted $500,000 in state grant money to provide emergency stabilization for two buildings on the Upper Post. Then the board approved seeking $6.75 million in federal stimulus money to restore the Post Headquarters building and the officers' quarters building."

If this goes through, it will be a great addition to the fort. As some of you know, the Upper Post was declared one of the most endangered sites in the US three years ago. If you want to learn more about Fort Snelling and the Upper Post, please visit the following sites:

Friends of Fort Snelling: http://www.fortsnelling.org

Upper Post Website: http://www.upperpost.org/

The Burwell House in Minnetonka

2009-04-25T22:08:00.009-05:00

13209 E. McGinty Rd, Minnetonka

Built in 1883, the Burwell House was constructed by Charles Henry Burwell for his growing family, second wife and four children. Mr. Burwell was the Manager of the Minnetonka Mills Company beginning in 1874 until the mills demise in 1886. The land was purchased from the mill at a cost of $1000, and the house was built from a design found in the Palliser's American Cottage Home catalog, or so the story goes. It is said to have cost a mere $3260 to build.

While the home is said to be in the Italianate style, I really feel it is an "in-between" house. The home does not have any strong Italianate features like window hoods, bracketed eves, or low pitched gables. In my opinion, it is more a cross between an Italian Villa, which features a central tower, and the Victorian Folk style. The home was built at the very end of the Italian popularity, but in the middle of Folk period. It is not always easy to pin down a single style to Victorian homes, but it is easy to see architectural influences in some of them. One part of the home not originally built in 1883, is the wrap around porch. Added on somewhere between 1989-1906, it is a good example of the Eastlake influence, with its elaborate spindels and woodwork.

The cottage (upper left) was moved to the site in 1894 from the Minnetonka Mills site, to house Mr. Burwell's widowed mother. It is one of the original 15 cottages constructed to house

mill workers. The summer kitchen (upper right) was added to the home in 1892.

The mill office (lower left) was Mr. Burwell's office and was moved to the site in 1894. It now serves as the Minnetonka Historical Society building.The final photograph is of the original ice house (lower right).

The site is open for tours during the summer months.

Greek Revival Historic Home in Prescott

2009-04-09T23:44:00.004-05:00

606 North Lake Street, Prescott, WI

Today I was traveling through Prescott, Wisconsin to list a home for sale and I came across a great representation of the Greek Revival style. Built in 1854 by Hilton Doe, the home sits just off the St. Croix River, and probably at that time, had an even better view of the river (no houses in front of it). Mr. Doe was apparently a pioneer of the area, with the home remaining in the Doe family until 1867. Around 1895, Julius Knoblach acquired the property and the home was in his family for the next 57 years. In 1994, the home was restored and looks fantastic for its age.

The Church of the Holy Comforter

2009-03-11T16:53:00.004-05:00

While driving through southeast Minnesota along the banks of the Minnesota, I came across the small town of Brownsville. On Main Street stands a simple Gothic style Episcopal church which was built in 1869 by Charles Brown, who founded the town in 1849. The Church was restored by the Houston County Historical Society in 1980. Though it is not currently in use, it is available by appointment and for weddings.

Grand Mediterranean Home on Lake of the Isles

2009-03-03T16:02:00.005-06:00

2427 Lake of the Isles Parkway East, Minneapolis

Last week I had the chance to tour the recently listed historic mansion on Lake of the Isles. It is a beautiful Spanish Revival home that was built in 1911 by architect Frederick Soper, presumably for Charles Buchholz the president of the Western Biological Supply Company.

A photo of the home as it looked in 1974 shows how the original entrance looked before the front stairs and terraces were added in 2005. The home is a standout inside and out, and features a grand staircase in the middle of the home, which gives an atrium feel to the home. It is currently listed for sale for $5.495 Million, one of the most expensive homes on Lake of the Isles.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Houses

2009-02-23T18:54:00.004-06:00

I don't know what is going on with this old home, but it looks like a travesty is happening to the front porch. Not to mention the fact the new windows just don't look right. Trying to turn it into a Tudor? I couldn't find any original photos of the home, which is in Winona, so I am really curious of what this home looked like, as it was built somewhere around the 1890's.

But this is a prime example of renovation gone a muck. Too many times I see people with the best intentions, try and tackle a historic home, only to destroy everything historic about it. Some people even go inside the home and rip out all the original woodwork, trim, doors, etc, just to make the home "brand new".

Case in point, a home on Dupont Avenue in Minneapolis fell to such a fate last year, when a young "investor" went into a Minneapolis Tudor style bungalow and ripped out everything. And by everything, I mean the original built in buffet, handcrafted pillars and bookcases, all the trim and doors....he took the home down to the studs and threw the rest into a dumpster. Neighbors told me they were shocked to see all the historic elements laying in the trash...some even went into the dumpster to salvage out what they could. The investor added a second story and completely changed the exterior facade of the home (so now it looks silly in a neighborhood of one story bungalows). I guess fate is not without a sense of irony, as the payback for the sacrilege was the "flipper" going into foreclosure. Sadly, now a new investor must finish the home and make it as good as he can.

The fact is, bad things do happen to good houses. The only thing we can do to stop it is to watch what is going on and make our objections known. It is our responsibility as neighbors and historic preservationists to stop the destruction our historic treasures here in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and save what we can. Contact the Historic Preservation Committees and Groups if you have questions at some of the links I have provided on this website.

Historic Church for sale in Shakopee

2009-02-04T22:27:00.002-06:00

705 1st Ave, Shakopee, MN

Dan Peterson of Adam Commercial emailed me today to let me know about a historic building he has for sale in Shakopee. I am all about reuse of a building, instead of demolition, and even though I am still not quite sure about consecrated ground being used for other purposes, I would rather see it being renovated and saved, then deteriorating before my eyes.

Built in 1890 according to the Scott County Historical Society, this historic church is best known as St. John's Lutheran Church. The church was first founded in 1860 as “The German Lutheran Church – St. Johannes”. It wasn't until 1930 that the church became affiliated with the American Lutheran Church, and in 1940 that German services were discontinued (after 80 years of existence). In 1953, church services were moved to the present location on 8th St.

The building is currently used as a salon (Salon St. John), interior photographed below. As you can see, the current owner has done almost everything to preserve the interior character of the church, even making the salon mirrors in the same shape of the stain glass windows. The original murals are still present, too. Many updates have been completed, including modern mechanicals, upgraded electrical, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. With about 2700 square feet, the commercial building is for sale at $370,000.

The Cameron House in La Crescent, Minnesota

2009-02-01T10:46:00.008-06:00

I travel through La Crescent every now and then when we want to visit family. It is a great little Mississippi River town in southeast Minnesota, just across the river from La Crosse, Wisconsin. The area was founded in 1851 by Peter Cameron and his wife, who later died in 1855.

The Italianate house, known as the Cameron House, was built in 1871 by Daniel J. Cameron, the younger brother of Peter Cameron by 16 years. Mr. Cameron was a railroad contractor who moved to the area from New York around 1859. According to history, Mr. Cameron was well known for digging through mountains ( for railroads, that is) in California, Arkansas, and Ontario.

429 -435 S Seventh St, La Crescent, MN

I was able to find a photo taken in 1974. At some point in time the porch was enclosed, as seen in the photograph, but now it looks like one of the recent owners has brought the porch back to its original state, removing the screens.. They have also done a fantastic paint job on the home, highlighting the architectural details. The cupola on the roof is one of the largest I have seen.

I found an interesting read on a website which gives a history of Emma Eastman, wife of La Crescent founder, Peter Cameron. In 1859, Daniel Cameron, brother of Peter, came to the area to call on Emma regarding some deeds from his brother's estate. Apparently, as the story goes, Emma didn't like what he had to say and took two shots at him. The first went through his coat, and the second shot off his little finger.

Historic Italianate Home in Stillwater

2009-01-24T12:13:00.004-06:00

911 Sixth Ave S, Stillwater, MN

Known as the John Moodhe House, this fine representation of Italianate architecture was constructed somewhere between 1878 -1882 for the sum of $700. While brick construction is not common for local Italianate homes, the brick does allow for architectural details not found in wood sided homes. At the corners of the home are prominent quoins and under the windows are lentils. The arched windows, brick window crown, and low pitched roof are some other characteristics of the style. The only thing really missing are large decorative brackets under the eaves, but it looks like the home never had them.

The house was sold a year ago for $504,000. It has a little over 2700 square feet, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms.

St. John's Lutheran Church in Chaska

2009-01-16T08:37:00.003-06:00

In 1884, St. John's was organized into a congregation, and the first church building was built one year later. Tragically, like many historic churches, fire destroyed the building in 1921. The current grand church was built in its place around 1922, with a touch of Gothic Revival in its styling.

A Darker Version of Tudor Revival on Summit Avenue in Saint Paul

2009-01-04T09:38:00.002-06:00

This weeks historic home is located at 485 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul.

Built in 1907 for and by James A. MacLeod, this Tudor Revival designed home, with its muted tones is a stark contrast to the Victorian homes on Summit. I wasn't able to find any original photos of the home in the archives, but it is well documented that a two story addition was added in 1911 designed by Reed and Stem (see another house they designed on Summit), and that a sleeping porch and sunroom were added in 1922.

Mr. Macleod did not own the home for long. He sold the home to John G. Ordway in 1913, whose family owned the home until 1975. Ordway was the manager and treasurer of the Crane Company, formerly known as the Crane and Ordway Co., which produced plumbing and heating supplies.

The home is currently valued for about $1.5 Million, sits on .25 acres, and boasts over 6600 square feet!

Historic Italianate Home in Farmington, MN

2008-11-07T10:49:00.003-06:00

In Farmington MN, there is a great example of the Italianate historic home style. Located at 521 Oak St, the home sits on a large corner lot and was built around 1880. It looks to be in pretty good condition, retaining the original brackets and window hoods, not to mention the widow's walk.

Saint Paul Historic Home Second Empire Style

2008-10-30T22:19:00.001-05:00

This weeks historic home is located at 235 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul.

Built in 1878 as a duplex, the home was built for Charles P. Noyes, a local wholesale druggist. It is a very simple Victorian, built in the Second Empire style. Little of the exterior has changed over the years. The porch trim is different and there has been a third story window added on the west side of the home. I have always liked this home as it commands its own attention amidst a street full of grand homes.

The home is fairly large, even though it does not look like it from the front, with six bedrooms, seven baths. It is currently zoned as apartments with 4 units: the main house, the third story apartment, and two units in the back. The best part of the home is the view - every minute of the day you can gaze at the St. Paul Cathedral.

Greek Revival Historic Home on Nicollet Island

2008-10-27T21:37:00.003-05:00

This weeks historic home is located at 101 W. Island Avenue on Nicollet Island.

For those of you not familiar with Minneapolis, Nicollet Island is located on very small piece of land in the middle of the Mississippi River, just off downtown. This simple Greek Revival home is known as the R.M.S. Pease House and was originally located at 814 University Avenue. It was moved to its current location in 1986. Rev. Mr. Pease was a well known banker and minister in Minneapolis and Saint Paul in the mid-1800's.

Historic Homes Often Come with Historic Families

2008-10-21T10:45:00.003-05:00

Recently the Star Tribune published an interesting article about three families that live in Bloomington and were honored for their time in Minnesota.

"When Bloomington celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding earlier this year, the city recognized "Century Families" whose lineage in town stretched back 100 years or more. Three of those families were the Ponds, the Harrisons and the Pahls, whose descendants still live in Bloomington. "

They are not famous by any standards, but their founding fathers helped shape an area, that in the 1850's, was void of anything but nature and wildlife. We often forget where we come from, how we got here, and some don't stop to think about where they are going. But for some families, their family history is still passed down through the generations and they take pride in what their ancestors have done.

Summit Avenue Recognized as one of Best Streets in America

2008-10-15T22:13:00.004-05:00

Recently the American Planning Association awarded Saint Paul as having one of the Best Streets in America. Summit Avenue, as us historic home lovers know quite well, is described as:

"During the late 19th century, Summit Avenue was not considered the grandest of the country's Victorian-era residential boulevards, yet today this 4.5-mile-long boulevard between downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Mississippi River stands alone as the country's best-preserved avenue from that period..."

Of course, we all ready know that Summit Avenue is grand and a true local treasure. But I think the Twin Cities in general is one of the best historic architectural archives in the nation. I get emails all the time from people across the country that have never seen homes like we have here...and it is so much fun showing them what makes our towns special!

Save the Clock...(I mean) MoorishTower!

2008-10-09T17:39:00.009-05:00

I hear these words ring through my head as I drive by 2500 Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. A big fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, I can't help but feel the need to scream "Save the Clock Tower", or in this case, save a rare piece of architectural history from neglect. Yes, this Moorish home is located in a not so good part of town, but is there anyone out there willing to take the risk and save this historic home from further decay and vandalism?

As a real estate agent, I know that in today's market, the buying of a home comes down to price for most people. When this home was first placed on the market as a foreclosure by Automated Realty, it was priced at $229,900, well below the 2006 purchase price of $385,000. It has recently been reduced to $208,900. But the location of the home is the main culprit for its lack of appeal. If it were located in Ramsey Hill of Saint Paul, or near the Minneapolis chain of lakes, the home would have sold in no time at all. So is it any wonder that there are no takers?

Built in 1883 by Charles Bardwell, the original design was as a Queen Anne Victorian and was located on a different site at 1800 Park Avenue . However when the new owner, Emil Ferrant, purchased the home in 1890, he had Moorish features added to the home which can easily be seen in the onion domes. It is now simply known as the Bardwell-Ferrant House and was registered on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984.

Before the home was bought and renovated in 1986 by Rolf Lokensgard, the once beautiful historic home was in disrepair. About $160,000 in renovations were put into the home and you can find stories about the renovation on other blogs. Please, someone, buy this house and save it!