The Donaldson Mansion in Minneapolis

 1712 Mount Curve Avenue, Minneapolis

Nestled on top of Lowry Hill in Minneapolis is a beautiful home like none other.Built in 1906, this stunning home was designed for Lawrence Donaldson, who with his brother William, founded the Donaldson Department Store in Minneapolis. The architectural firm of Kees and Colburn was commissioned to design the family's residence, known for a number of major works in Minneapolis including the Grain Exchange Building, Donaldson's Office Building, and the Charles H. Harrington Mansion. They later designed the Loring Theater, the Ford Centre, and The Lowry, to name a few.

Constructed mainly of brick, the home is exquisitely detailed with a mixture of several design styles, the most prevalent being Arts & Crafts and Beaux Arts. Subtle design elements throughout the home, linked to Mr. Donaldson's Scottish heritage, feature the thistle. Probably the most identifiable symbol of all things Scottish, the flower can be found on the facade of the house, the entry columns, above the entry door, on the chimneys, in the living room Tiffany window, and more!

John Bradstreet Sun Parlor

Completed sometime in 1907, additional modifications to the home began in 1908 by expanding the north side - a dining room and a second floor bedroom were enlarged, a sleeping porch was added, and the screened-in porch became an enclosed sun room. The Donaldson's also hired well known designer John Bradstreet to create a Japanese inspired Sun Parlor, as well as design the Reception Room/Study off the main foyer. In 1916, the carriage house was completed with four large carriage stalls, a second floor apartment, a number of work rooms, and a connecting tunnel.

As happened to many large properties in the Twin Cities as time moved on, the estate was subdivided into six separate lots in 1959 when it was sold by the Donaldson family. After the passing of many decades and multiple owners, the main house was bought by the current owners in 2000, who later that year acquired the original northwest hillside lot extending down to Kenwood Parkway, and in 2001 the carriage house. With three of the six lots reunited, the land totals just over an acre, or 44,792 square feet, representing one of the largest residential properties in Minneapolis.

John Bradstreet Study

Thankfully the new owners had a vision of restoring the home back to its former splendor. Over the last decade, with love and dedication, some of the highest quality craftsman and artisans were employed to bring the home back to life, while incorporating state of the art technology and modern conveniences for today's busy lifestyle.

This historic home is also For Sale: www.1712MountCurveAvenue.com

Locust Lodge in Frontenac

 29133 Garrard Avenue, Frontenac

Built around 1853, this beautiful example of a Greek Revival  home is quietly tucked away behind a row of trees, and at one time had grand views of the Mississippi River.  The local village was layed out by the original owner Evert Westervelt, comprising of 320 acres purchased from the wives of Jane Wells and Elizabeth Faribault, and properly named Westervelt. In 1859, the town was renamed Frontenac  in honor of Louis de Buade de Frontenac, governor general of Canada between 1670-1698.

Since Mr. Westervelt owned the land, he cut out six large lots of six acres each above the river, and built the first large home of the area in 1853 on the best lot. The first of its kind for the area, the home's dolomite stone foundation was from the local quarry and most of the mill work was shipped in from out East. The home was named Locust Lodge by the owner for the locust trees on the land.

In the photo above you can visualize the details common with Greek Revival - corners of Doric pilasters, decorative frieze with dentils, 6 over 6 window sash, and a gable will full pediment. Around 1900, a one-story addition was added to the rear of the home for a kitchen and bathroom.

Preservation isn't just for grand houses

The log cabin pictured around 1900-10 from Lakeshore Weekly News

So many times when hearing about historic preservation, people immediately think of some Victorian home or historic commercial building that is in need of saving. Either the home or building has fallen into ruin, seen forclosure, been destroyed by fire, been condemed by a city, etc. If it isn't saved, it will be lost forever. But people often forget that historic preservation has no face and anything deemed to be significant to a community might be in need of saving.

Case in point, a little log cabin in Wayzata (shown above). Lakeshore Weekly News, a newspaper covering the greater Lake Minnetonka area, wrote an article this month about this 100+ year old cabin on Bushaway Road that's future is not too certain. Irene Stemmer of the Wayzata Heritage Preservation Board is looking to save the little structure, as the current property owner wants it removed. It's amazing that the cabin has survived this long and not been destroyed by current or previous owners. Besides its age, another cool fact is that the logs of the cabin are made out of Tamarack trees that once flourished in the area, but now no longer exist.

Either originally a squatter's cabin or trapper's cabin, according to the article, the log structure is the "oldest house in Wayzata", says Stemmer. She is looking to save the cabin, but money for restoration and moving fees are still needed in order to preserve a part of the city's history.

If you would like to look into helping preserve this historic log cabin, please contact Irene Stemmer of the Wayzata Heritage Preservation Board at istemmer@msn.com.

The Northome Stone Arch

Northome Stone Arch, Deephaven, MN

In an area of Deephaven known mostly to locals is a stone arch rising out of the trees as you drive through a quite neighborhood. Built in 1906 by the german stonemason Florian Huber, the original double arch was the entrance to the "Cedarhurst" and "Pinecrest" estates. In 1925, the left arch was removed to make way for larger vehicles, and in 1939, was deeded to the city of Deephaven. While structures like this rarely survive, the dedication to restore the arch in 1986 has helped keep the history of the area alive for future generations.

"Cedarhurst" was built for Russell M Bennett in 1901 and was a two story classic revival home. It replaced the "Northome" mansion built for Charles Gibson which burned in 1894. "Pinecrest" was owned by Joseph E. Clifford. A photo taken in 1904 shows the shoreline of Northome with similar stone structures in a retaining wall.

Know Your House's Style

I see it all the time. An agent that doesn't specialize in historic homes lists a home for sale and calls it a Victorian when it is really something else. You would think that the "year built" would give it away, but most real estate agents have no clue that historic home styles were built in certain time frames. Agents look at decorative trim on a house and think it is a Victorian, but what they don't realize is that the home did not originally have that trim, but was instead added by a later owner. Needless to say, this drives me crazy, and is one of the reasons I educate sellers on the need to have a historic home specialist market their home.

 What is it? Victorian? Greek Revival? Colonial?

Knowing the historic architecture of your home can also teach you what is and isn't original to the home. Over the years, I have been a detective for homes that have been renovated, trying to find out for example what a room was originally used for, or where a door/window used to be. Finding "shadows" (as I call them), on exterior or interior walls can tell you what the trim might have looked like, and knowing the historic style of your home will help in this endeavor. Figuring out the original floor plan will be an easier task if you know the home was built as a Greek Revival, and not a Colonial Revival.

From my perspective, if an agent can't properly describe the style of your home, you might think twice about hiring them.

My Feature in the Star Tribune

302 Fremont Avenue, Anoka

It's always nice to get a call to speak about the importance of historic home preservation. It rarely happens to be a feature article in a major local newspaper, so you can imagine my surprise when just that happened. The Star Tribune gave me a call about the Shaw-Hammons House in Anoka, pictured above, whose owner informed them of my historic home specialty in real estate. They wanted to know about concerns in preservation and saving endangered properties from demolition, and I was happy to let them know my thoughts on the matter.

This old Anoka house gets new lease on life, but others slip into history

Article by: Paul Levy , Star Tribune

Built in 1852 and owned by Minnesota's first senator, the historic house in Anoka was in shambles. Junk cluttered the yard. Wiring had been ripped away. Rooms were coated in dust, gutted and vandalized. Even the bathtub was missing.

The home was simultaneously listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Minnesota's Ten Most Endangered Properties list. But today, after a renovation that took three years and more than $100,000, it is the oldest home in Minnesota on the market. Historic-homes experts call it a "miracle."

With few preservation programs available, it's also a rarity. Indifference from city officials, minimal grant aid and foreclosures have placed the futures of some of Minnesota's most prized historic homes in jeopardy.

"It can take more than a century to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places and only a few minutes for that same house to be bulldozed," said Realtor Jennifer Kirby, creator of the "Historic Homes of Minnesota" blog. 

Read more from the article...

Best Home of the Summit Hill House Tour

By far the best home on the 2012 Summit Hill House Tour in St. Paul was 7 Heather  Place. Of course, I will throw in 5 Heather Place too, as they both are attached. These two homes are amazing, not only for their unique exterior facade, but also for their beautifully decorated interiors.

Built by two Jewish brothers in 1905-1906, Benjamin and William Goodkind were the president and secretary treasurer of St. Paul's Mannheimer Brothers Department Store. The architectural firm of Reed and Stem, who are well known for the St. Paul Hotel, Grand Central Terminal in New York, and several homes in St. Paul, were commissioned to design the Tudor Revival homes, connecting them via the "Passover" seen below.

While the two homes have been "separated" by building bedrooms in the once long hall, they still appear as one to the casual observer. The original stone staircase stretching down to Grand Avenue from this central area is still present and the grounds are beautifully landscaped. 

It is hard to pick a favorite room in 7 Heather Place. I loved the kitchen with its original icebox and old world feel. The home has extensive woodwork and wood paneling throughout, and has the best little spiral staircase to the lower level that I have seen.  While the home is stretched long to fit the space, it is perfectly situated on one of the most amazing bluff sites in St. Paul.

Photo of the twin homes under construction in 1906 and another in 1915.

Other homes designed by Reed and Stem are 489 Grand Hill, 530 Grand Hill, 340 Summit Avenue.

Newel Posts

 

One of my favorite architectural details in historic old homes is the newel and finial found at the base of wooden staircases. Most people just refer to them as "newel posts". Sometimes I find simple finials for simple homes, while others are elaborately carved masterpieces. The two pictured here were ones I found while viewing homes not too long ago.

Some are worn down after a century of use by the multitude of hands that have grasped them over the years. It always makes me wonder who those people were and what became of them, and if they ever realized that something as simple as a touch would give patina to an object that only a lover of historic homes would notice.

If you want to see a variety of newel posts, here is a company in Pennsylvania that has pages of them listed for sale, all of different styles.

Help for the Historic Home Owner

Posted with Permission of Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
By - Erin Hanafin Berg, PAM Field Representative

My heart always sinks a little when I receive a message like this one, from Jenny in Duluth:

I am wondering if there are any programs, funding or loan options for purchasing a home that needs restoration. The home is not on the historic registry, but it is a beautiful brick house built in 1913 that needs extensive repairs.  The house is in foreclosure, and I am would like to learn about any programs that might exist to help me restore it as my primary residence.

 

Unfortunately, there are very few preservation programs available in Minnesota to help residential property owners. The new state rehabilitation tax credit is only available for income-producing properties that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Grants, like the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants, typically can only be used by non-profit organizations or municipal entities. Minnesota had a property tax exemption program, called This Old House, that allowed homeowners to freeze their local property taxes at the pre-renovation value for up to fifteen years,  but the program ended in 2003 and the legislature has seemed reluctant to reauthorize it. We lag behind our neighbors in Wisconsin, where a 25% income tax credit is available for historic homeowners; reportedly, more than 16,000 historic houses might qualify. In terms of historic preservation funding, Minnesota homeowners come up short.

But other funding-assistance programs out there can help, and many people don’t know to turn first to their local housing agencies. Many Community Development Corporations (CDCs) have residential housing improvements and neighborhood stability as the core of their missions, and may have loans, grants, or other financial resources available. In Duluth, for example, Neighborhood Housing Services is the local lending partner that provides access to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency’s Fix-Up Funds. Oftentimes income qualifications apply, but this doesn’t mean that a household has to be near the poverty line to be eligible—the guidelines are often set as a percentage of the area’s median household income. (You might be surprised to learn what qualifies as “low-income” in your community.)

Rebates for energy-efficient appliance upgrades (furnace, refrigerator, water heater, etc.) are often available through the local utility company or community-based energy agency. In Duluth, the local utility is Minnesota Power, which has an extensive list of rebates. DEEP – Duluth Energy Efficiency Program – offers up to $2,500 in rebates for all income levels. Weatherization assistance for low-income residents is available across the state, accessed through local partners like the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency in Duluth. (If you plan to undertake weatherization improvements, be sure to read our information on window rehabilitation before you assume that your windows need replacing!)

There are also some special HUD-financed rehab loans available through mortgage companies and banks. According to HUD, “The borrower can get just one mortgage loan, at a long-term fixed (or adjustable) rate, to finance both the acquisition and the rehabilitation of the property” (as opposed to a first mortgage, which would finance the purchase of the property pre-renovation, and then higher-rate construction loans to fund the rehab work). Also, there are still  programs through Minnesota Housing to assist first-time homebuyers, or buyers who have not owned a home within the past three years. MHFA’s CASA program includes a “purchase and repair” option, but it is only available in targeted areas and both income limits and purchase price limits apply.

Financial assistance is available for rehabilitating an older home, but you need to know where to look. Hopefully this gives Jenny, and others like her, a place to start.

The Charles Keith Manor in Princeton

 902 1st Street, Princeton, MN

Built in 1905, this beautiful historic home was commissioned by Judge Charles Keith and designed by leading architect John Walter Stevens. Mr. Stevens is well known for his commercial buildings in St. Paul, as well as designing several homes on Summit Avenue and in the Ramsey Hill historic district.

 Owner Charles Keith was born in Farmington, Maine in 1851, moving to Princeton, MN in 1873. He quickly became a prominent figure in the county being elected Justice of the Peace in 1875 and Probate Judge in 1876. After holding the latter position for 10 years, he studied law and was accepted to the bar in 1892. In addition to being a banker and lawyer, he also was an expert timber cruiser, surveyor, and lumber businessman.

Featuring a large lot with majestic trees and wrap around the porch, this amazing home retains most of its original historic elements. The Reception Hall walls are covered in the original lincrusta paper of a gold leafed nouveau design and features ceilings done in 3 inch metal leaf painted in deep red with oak design, as well as oak beamed ceilings and wainscoting.The most stunning room in the home is the formal dining room finished in dark oak paneling and beamed ceilings. The room is surrounded by a hand painted mural of pine forests highlighted with pinecone and bough stenciled designs in-between each ceiling beam as seen in the photo below.

This home is currently for sale for $329,900. For more information on this stunning historical home and additional photos, please visit the property website.