Summit Avenue Historic Mansion, St Paul

This weeks historic home is 323 Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Built in 1892 at a cost of $35,000, this home was built for Edward Nelson Saunders by the famous Clarence Johnston. The Minnesota Historical Society has a sketch of the home in their archives done by the architect, as well as photos of the home in 1898 and 1973. A previous home stood on the site in 1863 but I wasn't able to find a photograph of it to post.

The home is a classic example of the Richardson Romanesque style to popular with the architect. It is actually one of my favorite homes on Summit, but it is in desperate need of repair. There are some fantastic details in the porch columns and their ornate capitals, as well as a beautiful stone railing on the third level of the front facade.

I am not one hundred percent sure but I think the home is currently a residential residence. At one time it was used as the Cathedral Convent.

Trent Tiles

One thing I love about historic homes is the interior details that go into a home. I don't think you could afford to build a home today like they use to a hundred years ago or more. The cost would just be too high, and the craftsman to do the work don't exist.

When we were renovating one of the Victorian Queen Anne homes we bought, the double parlor had two of the most beautiful fireplace surrounds I have seen. This was my first experience with Trent Tile Company tiles. It is quite easy to distinguish them from others because the images are amazing. Below is the "God" image I fell in love with. The photo doesn't do it justice, but if you were to look at it closely, you would find some beautiful work: the eyes have detailed pupils, and his hair has depth to it.


The second fireplace had images of a mother and a child, shown below is the mother. You can see it is just as detailed as well.


Trent also produced tiles of nature scenes, birds, flowers, etc. I have even seen an entire surround of cherubs. (I wish I would have bought it.) Trent was founded in 1882 and closed it's doors in 1939. If you find some tiles, and they are free standing, that is not attaced to a fireplace mantel, then the words TRENT can be found on the reverse side to help with identification.

Summit Hill Historic Home, St. Paul

This weeks Historic Home is located at 489 Grand Hill in St Paul, Minnesota.

The home was built for Carl Schuneman, the owner of Schuneman's Department Store in downtown Saint Paul. The design was inspired by his wife who wanted to feel like she was back on the East Coast. Allen H. Stem, from the local St Paul firm, Reed and Stem was hired as the architect, who you might recognize as one of the architects of Grand Central Station in New York.

Built in the Tudor Revival style, the architectural details make the home stand out in a neighborhood of Queen Annes. Those details include the steeply pitched gable dormers, the two semi-hexagonal two story bays on the front facade of the home, and the stonework on the outside.

The home is quite large on the inside, having 11 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and five fireplaces. The current owner purchased the home in 1995 and hosts events for the Institute of Vocal Artistry on the main floor, an area that also saw vocal performances by Carl Schuneman's daughter.

Make St Paul a Winner

St Paul has the chance to win the opportunity for HGTV to come to town and help three local improvement projects take flight through their new television program Change the World. Start at Home. Nine cities across the country are competing for life-transforming assistance - and viewers will decide through voting. Votes can be cast through December 21 at their website.

Click here to VOTE SAINT PAUL

According to the Historic Saint Paul website :

The Saint Paul projects feature a mix of historic preservation, community, education, and environmental improvement, including:

• Helping a deserving family with an unfinished home renovation. After her husband passed away 18 months ago, Kris Nelson’s dreams of restoring their three-story Victorian era home were put on hold. She and her two sons hope to be able to complete their home with a help from HGTV, Rebuilding Together and the National Trust for Historic Preservation;
• Transforming the grounds of the Wilder Recreation Center/City Academy. The WPA building was designed by Saint Paul City Architect Clarence (“Cap”) Wigington, the country’s first African American municipal architect. School administrators at City Academy building teach their students the importance of giving back to the community through volunteering and caring for the environment. Without a much-needed facelift, the growth of the school and neighboring community center is stunted by space and environmental limitations;
• Restoring and interpreting the ecological and cultural resources in the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, a Mississippi River area open space just east of downtown Saint Paul that includes remnants of our industrial and indigenous history. Though the park has come a long way since its days as a contaminated rail yard, there is still much to be done and it remains a work in progress.

So make sure to cast your vote for local historic preservation by visiting HGTV and casting your vote. You can vote once a day!

What's Up With My Sagging Floor?

Here is a great article from the Old House Journal concerning repairing your old floors. Enjoy!

Getting to the Bottom of Sagging Floors

Understanding the common structural shortcomings that cause floors to dip and what to do about them.

By Steve Jordan, Old House Journal Online

One of the most common complaints of old-house owners is sagging floors. In my own house, for example, every floor pitches toward the center stairwell. Although generally only an annoyance, sagging floors can be an indication of worsening problems. Here’s a quick review of the most common problems and a few of the typical remedies.

Investigate the Problem

Typically, floors settle near the center of the house because the perimeter walls are constructed over a sound, deep foundation and settle very little. Major support beams within this perimeter, though, are often supported by makeshift posts.

Continue Reading...