Minneapolis, Minnesota is a city steeped in history, with a rich cultural heritage and a diverse population that has shaped its development for the last 150+ years. From its early days as a frontier outpost to its rise as a major industrial milling center, the city has been witness to many important events and has played a significant role as the heartbeat of the upper Midwest economy. Today, many of the city's historic buildings, structures, and neighborhoods stand as a testament to its past.
In recognition of this rich cultural legacy, southwest Minneapolis boasts a significant number of sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NRHP was created in 1966 through the National Historic Preservation Act with the purpose to coordinate the identification, evaluation measures, and preservation & protection of historically significant places. To make the NRHP list, the National Park Service must determine that a building has historic significance - whether that significance is the property itself or the people who lived or worked there - or embody the characteristics of a certain architectural design style.
In total, the neighborhoods of southwest Minneapolis are home to 50 places deemed significant by the NRHP. Understandably, many of the NRHP designated places are located closer towards downtown where the neighborhoods are generally composed of older, more historic buildings and places. Below, we will explore the significance of the fifty NRHP designated places of southwest Minneapolis, highlighting some of the city's most notable historic landmarks and their significance to the community.
Bryn Mawr
Ripley Memorial Hospital, added to NRHP March 27, 1980: sitting on a 1.9-acre site at the corner of Penn and Glenwood Avenue sits the Ripley Memorial Hospital, now a low-income and market-rate housing cooperative. The building was commissioned by Martha Ripley in 1896, who was one of Minnesota’s first female doctors. The building was first used to serve low income pregnant women and families during a time of high rates of infant mortality. Three additional annex buildings were built at the hospital in 1909, 1910, and 1911 to provide more expansive care. The hospital ultimately closed in 1957.
Loring Park
Swinford Townhouses and Apartments, added to NRHP October 25, 1990: located at 13th and Hawthorne in the Loring Park neighborhood, the Swinford Townhouses were built in 1886 by the Isaac Hodgson and Sons’ company. This architectural firm started in Minneapolis in 1882, building many famed Gothic Revival and Second Empire stylized buildings of Minneapolis’ yesteryear. Of the several Hodgson and Sons’ buildings that were constructed, all but one met the wrecking ball during the 1900s; the Swinford Townhouses, which were built in 1886.
The townhomes were later joined by the Swinford Apartments, designed by Harry Wild Jones in 1897. The Swinford Apartments are immediately to the west of the townhomes. The buildings are separate, however they share many similarities.
Laurel Apartments, added to NRHP May 29, 2020: Commissioned for construction by August Bergman, who hired Septimus Bowler to design an apartment complex in the burgeoning Loring Park neighborhood in 1893. Bowler came to Minneapolis by way of London in 1884, starting an architectural firm in 1888. Here, at the corner of Laurel Avenue and North 15th Street, Bowler designed a quartet of four-story Queen Anne stylized apartment buildings with renowned facades and interior details that have stood the test of time.
When completed, the Minneapolis Tribune touted the Laurel Apartments as “complete with every modern convenience… solid masonry, faced on the exterior with St. Louis pressed brick and brown sandstone trimmings.” This building highlights the peak of apartment house development in Loring Park just before the Panic of 1893 forced architects to adopt more conservative building designs.
Basilica of Saint Mary, added to NRHP March 26, 1975: In 1905, a one-block parcel of land on Hennepin Avenue in the growing Loring Park neighborhood was unveiled as the site for a new church. Emmanuel Louis Masqueray was retained as chief architect for the baroque-stylized project. The exterior of the basilica took 6 years to complete between 1907 and 1913, whereas the interior wasn’t completed until 1925. The Basilica of Saint Mary is immaculately ornate, featuring over 60 stained glass windows, a marble altar, domed roof, and a collection of double bronze doors containing the symbols of the apostles and evangelists. The Basilica of Saint Mary was the first Basilica in the United States.
Thompson Flats, added to NRHP May 10, 2019: Built in 1899, this apartment building at 1605 Hennepin Avenue South is a great example of a typical lliving situation for middle-class families seeking living arrangements near downtown Minneapolis at the turn of the century.
H. Alden Smith House, added to NRHP March 16, 1976: This 126-year old mansion was designed by architect William Channing Whitney in a Richardsonian Romanesque style for Horatio Alden Smith in 1897. Smith was a partner at the Smith & Wyman Sash and Door Co., where he amounted to considerable wealth. The Smith family owned the mansion until 1919. The mansion was later used by the Minneapolis Community and Technical College until they sold the property in 2016.
The H. Alden Smith House has since been revitalized as a social hub for the Abbey Apartments that are attached to the mansion. The interior of the mansion has been repurposed into a cocktail lounge, event space, billiards room, and co-working space; whereas the back garden has been turned into an outdoor fitness center.
Westminster Presbyterian Church, added to NRHP June 26, 1998: During the late 1800s, Minneapolis saw a boom in the construction of several ecclesiastical buildings. When the Westminster Presbyterian Church was devastated by fire in the 1890s, the congregation sought to build a new church located at the corner of Nicollet Mall and South 12th Street. Completed in 1897, the third iteration of the Westminster congregational church is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture.
The church has undergone multiple renovations and restoration projects throughout the 1900s. Recently, the church underwent a 40,000 square foot addition in 2018 designed by JDD Studio. With an exterior offering hints of Frank Gehry influence, the Westminster Presbyterian Church seamlessly marries classic and contemporary architecture.
Architects and Engineers Building, added to NRHP February 23, 1984: At the corner of South 12th Street and 2nd Avenue, the Architects and Engineers building is a one-of-a-kind four-story Italian Renaissance palazzo. Designed by and for the Hewitt and Brown firm in 1920, the building was created as a showpiece of their architectural styles. The building was intended to be a collaborative drafthouse with private offices, drafting rooms, libraries, and meeting rooms.
The building’s unique exterior showcases varying window design by floor. Encased in the arches of the third-floor windows are the names of historical architects such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Sir Christopher Wren, Henry Hobson Richardson, and Michaelangelo.
Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, added to NRHP February 9, 1984: Nestled into the corner of the Minneapolis Convention Center lies the Wesley Methodist Epsicopal Church, designed by Warren Howard Hayes in 1891. Located at 101 Grant Street East, the church presents itself with a motif of recurring towers, arches, stone gables, and stained glass features.
The Eitel Hospital, added to NRHP December 27, 2007: This Lowell A. Lamoreaux designed six-story building sits at the northeast corner of Willow Street and West 14th Street where it overlooks Loring Park. Constructed in 1911 with a brick and limestone facade, the Eitel Hospital was one of the first hospitals devoted to surgery during a time of advances in medical care for illness, disease, disabilities, and injuries.
The building is named after George and Jeanette Eitel. George was a prominent surgeon while Jeanette worked as the co-founder of the hospital. Jeanette was a former army nurse during the Spanish-American War. She later was superintendent of a nurse training school at City Hospital and Sioux Falls Hospital.
The Eitel Hospital treated roughly 1000 patients in its first year, the majority female. Over the next several years, the hospital’s patient services grew as more wards were created throughout the building. In 1929, Jeanette Eitel sold the hospital to the Nicollet Clinic under the agreement that Nicollet was to build a new hospital building within a given time period.
After a number of reorganizations and mergers through the next several decades, the Eitel Hospital was closed in 1985. The building was used as office space for Allina Health Systems until 2006, when a housing developer purchased the former hospital to rehabilitate the building into apartment buildings.
The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, added to NHRP January 11, 2022: Located at 410 Oak Grove Street on the south side of Loring Park, the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis was designed by Leon Arnal and Magney & Tusler Architects and Engineers in 1927. The Italianate Renaissance Revival style building features a double decker brick portico facade with limestone columns, balconies, and cornice.
The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis is historically significant for its association with the Women’s Club Movement, and increasing women’s roles in the social, civic, educational, philanthropic, and cultural development of Minneapolis.
Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office, added to NHRP July 16, 2012: Right next door to the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office was designed by the Hewitt & Brown firm in a Beaux-Arts style for construction in 1924. The building features an imposing main entrance at the intersection of Oak Grove Street and West 15th Street.
The building remained under ownership of the Northwestern National Life Insurance company until 1966, when the building was sold and subdivided to suit smaller offices. The building was recently sold to Kraus-Anderson in 2011, who oversaw a major rehabilitation project to convert the former office building into upscale apartments.
Eugene J. Carpenter House, added to NHRP September 13, 1977: This house, located at 300 Clifton Avenue, was built in 1877 for the family of C. M. Douglas in a Queen Anne style. The Douglas family sold the home to Harvey Brown, who lived here from 1890 until his death in 1904.
The home was then purchased by Eugene and Merrette Carpenter in 1905; their family owned the home until 1948. Upon the Carpenter family’s purchase of the home, they employed Edwin Hewitt to transform the exterior of the house into a Georgian Revival style in a project which saw the home’s roof removed, walls rebuilt, and exterior refinished over a 10 month period.
The Carpenter House is famed for being the birthplace of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The Carpenters hired designer John Bradstreet to assist with the interior and exterior design of their home. Carpenter, Bradstreet, and Hewitt struck a friendship over their shared appreciation for the arts. Carpenter used his marketing skills to generate a fundraiser to build the art museum while Bradstreet and Hewitt operated as curators for the museum.
The Carpenter House was sold in the late 1940s to be turned into smaller apartments. The house saw multiple owners over the next several decades before being converted into an office building for a number of years. Today, the Carpenter House operates as a bed & breakfast and event space.
Elbert L. Carpenter House, added to NRHP September 13, 1977: This four-story Federal Style red brick house was completed in 1906 for Elbert Carpenter by William Channing Whitney. Elbert Carpenter’s home features a symmetrical design with a white baluster cornice that conceals a low hipped roof.
Elbert Carpenter was a lumber mogul and philanthropist. He founded the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, which later became the Minnesota Orchestra. His home joined Eugene Carpenter’s home as an induction to the NRHP in September of 1977 for the home’s preservation of Georgian Revival style along with Carpenter’s achievements in industry and music.
Lowry Hill
Elizabeth C. Quinlan House, added to NRHP July 25, 2012: Elizabeth C. Quinlan is a historical Minneapolis figure for co-founding the Young-Quinlan Department Store, a retail and clothing store that catered to middle class women in the city. Quinlan’s department store specialized in ready-to-wear fashionable pre-made outfits. When most department stores opted for custom made clothing, Quinlan’s department store saved money by mass production off-the-rack clothes.
After several successful years at the helm of the Young-Quinlan Department Store, Quinlan purchased two-and-a-half city lots in the upscale Lowry Hill neighborhood for her new home. Quinlan retained Frederick L. Ackerman with the vision to design her home in the likeness of an Italian villa. After a year of planning and construction, Quinlan’s Renaissance Revival style home was completed at a cost of $47,000.
The Quinlan home is an iconic residence on the 1700 block of Emerson Avenue South. The stucco home with a terra-cotta roof captures the eclecticism in architecture for the first class homes of the roaring twenties.
Charles J. Martin House, added to NRHP April 26, 1978: Another historic building that was designed by William Channing Whitney in 1903, the Charles J. Martin house at 1300 Mount Curve Avenue is an excellent example of the “city estates” of the early 1900s.
Charles J. Martin made his fortune as a successful flour milling businessman. Martin was the secretary and treasurer of the Washburn-Crosby Milling Company, the predecessor to General Mills. Martin was also a prominent advocate of the City Beautiful Movement; he was involved in the promotion of city parks, libraries, and various art societies.
In the 1950s, the Charles J. Martin House was home to Antal Dorati, conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra; followed by Fernando Torres, Colombian neurologist and professor of the University of Minnesota. Under Torres’ ownership, part of the home became the Colombian consulate.
By the 1960s, the home was owned by Gordon Locksley, famed art dealer and hair stylist. Locksley held famed parties at 1300 Mount Curve. Guests such as Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey, Viva, and Christo Vladimirov Javacheff (commonly known as Christo) were all in attendance at some of Locksley’s famed parties.
Stevens Square
Amos B. Coe House, added to NRHP January 12, 1984: This Queen Anne style home at 1700 3rd Avenue South was constructed for Amos B. Coe, real estate developer, in 1884. With multiple spindled porches & balconies, custom windows, and a multi-gabled roof, the home oozes with intricate craftsmanship synonymous with upper-middle class housing design from the late 1800s.
In recent years, the Coe House has been shrouded in controversy. The Minnesota African American Museum and Cultural Center attempted to fundraise a several-million dollar renovation of the home beginning in 2008. The fundraising attempts didn’t cover the cost of renovations, thus the museum was evicted from the property in 2015. Afterwards, the home and carriage house behind the Coe House were converted into apartments.
George R. Newell House, added to NRHP September 15, 1977: This pari-symmetrical Richardsonian Romanesque stylized home was designed by Charles Sedgwick; constructed from Lake Superior brownstone for lumber businessman Sumner T. McKnight, the home was completed in 1888. The intricately designed home features a Victorian styled interior filled with oak finishes and Tiffany & Co. lighting fixtures.
After its construction, McKnight sold the home to George R. Newell, an original founder of grocery firm Stevens, Morse, and Newell. After George R. Newell’s death, his son, L. B. Newell assumed ownership of his father’s company, which was renamed as SuperValu under his leadership.
George W. and Nancy B. Van Dusen House, added to NRHP May 18, 1995: Just a few doors down from the George R. Newell House, this regal 12,000 square foot mansion was completed in 1893 for George Washington Van Dusen, who made his money in the grain transportation industry.
The Van Dusen House features a pink Sioux Quartzite exterior from a Luverne, Minnesota quarry. The home has several chimneys, steep pitched roofs, and a two-story turret off the main entrance. The interior of the home mixes elements of French, Gothic, Tudor, Romanesque, and Elizabethan styles. It contains ten fireplaces, a grand staircase, large skylights, carved woodwork, parquet floors, and a tile mosaic in the entryway.
Anne C. and Frank B. Semple House, added to NRHP February 26, 1998: located on the same block as the Van Dusen House, the 19,000 square foot Semple House was built in 1901 in a Beaux-Arts architectural style by the Long, Lamoreaux & Long firm.
Frank B. Semple was cofounder of the Janney, Semple, and Co., a wholesale hardware company founded in Minneapolis in 1866. Using the money he earned as “Hardware King of Minneapolis”, Semple commissioned the construction of his 1901 home; which at the time was on the far southwest outskirts of Minneapolis. Semple only lived in the home for a few years, passing away in 1904. Anne passed away a few years later in 1910. The home remained a private residence until 1935, when the Ministers Life and Casualty Union acquired the home.
Today, the home has a mixed use of private offices and special event spaces for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
Edwin H. Hewitt House, added to NRHP April 6, 1978: The 1906 home of the prominent local architect Edwin Haley Hewitt is located at 126 East Franklin Avenue. Hewitt’s Tudor Revival home features a symmetrical facade with an intricate brick-laden first story with a stucco second and third story.
Hewitt studied architecture in the United States and Europe before returning to Minneapolis in the early 1900s to establish his architectural firm, which later merged to become the Hewitt and Brown firm. Hewitt designed many of the famed homes and buildings on this list.
Whittier
Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District, added to NRHP February 17, 1978: A collection of mansions built in the late 1800s through early 1900s by wealthy families looking to move towards the then-outskirts of Minneapolis. The district is bordered by Franklin Avenue, 4th Avenue South, 26th Street East, and 1st Avenue South.
Church of St. Stephen, added to NRHP August 15, 1991: This sandstone-walled church combines elements of Richardson Romanesque and Romanesque Revival styles, situated within the Washburn-Fair Oaks Mansion District at 2201 Clinton Avenue South. Built in 1891, the church features a 150 foot tall tower, several round-arched stained glass windows, and three stained glass windows custom designed by the Tiffany Company.
This church was completed towards the end of a very active period of church construction in the late 1800s in Minneapolis. By 1893, Minneapolis housed over 150 religious buildings, of which 17 were built during the years of St. Stephen’s construction between 1889-1891. Many churches during this period were simple wooden edifices, later replaced with more imposing and architecturally interesting buildings.
Alano Society of Minneapolis Clubhouse, added to NRHP October 13, 2021: Located at 2218 1st Avenue South, the building was first constructed as a private residence for businessman and industrialist John Washburn in 1887. The home was purchased by the Alano Society of Minneapolis in 1942; the Alano Society was Minnesota’s first chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. Thereafter, the building was used for meetings, events, keynote speakers, and as an information hub for AA. The Alano Society of Minneapolis Clubhouse is the oldest continuously operating Alano Club at a single location in the world.
Elisha and Lizzie Morse Jr. House, added to NRHP July 28, 1995: Originally located at 2402 Fourth Avenue South, the Morse House was moved to its present location at 2325 Pillsbury Avenue South in 1991. The Morse House was first built in an Italian Villa style for grocery businessman Elisha Morse Jr. of the Stevens, Morse, and Newell grocer firm. The home’s design features a central windowed cupola and cut-plank siding. This type of intricate siding is made to mimic that of cut-stone. To further resemble a stone structure, the exterior paint is mixed with sand to create a textured surface. Thus, from a distance, the home looks to be made of stone rather than wood.
Calvary Baptist Church, added to NRHP May 19, 2021: Designed by Warren Howard Hayes and Harry Wild Jones, the Calvary Baptist Church was completed in 1889 in a Romanesque Revival style with an Akron Plan layout. Like the Church of St. Stephen, the Calvary Baptist Church was completed during the zenith of an especially active phase of church construction in Minneapolis during the late 1800s. The church is iconic for its lengthy congregational history, and its association with famed Minneapolis architects Hayes and Jones, making the religious building an important contribution to Minneapolis’ history.
Lowry Hill East/The Wedge
John G. and Minnie Gluek House and Carriage House, added to NRHP February 9, 1990: This unmistakable Georgian Revival home situated at 2447 Bryant Avenue is a prominent feature in The Wedge neighborhood. Constructed in 1902 for the son and heir-apparent of the Gluek Brewing Company, the Gluek House signals the transition from Queen Anne to the more fashionable Georgian or Colonial Revival style that took Minneapolis by storm at the beginning of the 1900s.
The Glueks lived in the home for only a few years. In 1908, John and Minnie Gluek met their untimely demise when their car collided with a train at an at-grade train track crossing in Cottagewood near Lake Minnetonka.
Buzza Company Building, added to NRHP January 24, 2012: Built in 1907 for only $55,000, this 139,000 square foot former factory is located at 1006 West Lake Street in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. Originally, the building was home to the Buzza Company, a forerunner in the greeting card industry. The first portion of the building that was built fronts Lake Street. Designed by James Allan macLeod, the original 1907 building is a four-story reinforced concrete rectangular structure. In the mid 1920s, the building was expanded upon to form its current footprint. The 1920s addition added a seven story Art Deco tower that adorns the word “Buzza” facing to the north and west.
After the Buzza Company liquidated in 1942, the building was used for military research and manufacturing during WWII. After the war, the building was used by a number of different local, state, and federal government departments. In 1971, the Buzza Company Building was granted to Minneapolis Public Schools to serve as an adult education and learning center. Starting in 2010, the building was renovated into Buzza Lofts, a low-income apartment complex centrally located in Uptown.
Walker Branch Library, added to NRHP May 26, 2000: The 1911 library building is located at 2901 Hennepin Avenue, across the street from the current Walker Library building. The original Walker Branch was designed in a Classical Revival style, featuring a symmetrical facade, portico, and ornate columned entrance.
The original Walker Branch Library served the community for 70 years until its closure in 1981 for a larger library building constructed across the street. After its closure, the former Walker Branch Library building has been utilized for a variety of uses such as a restaurant, clothing store, salon, yoga and pilates studio, nightclub, and events center.
East Isles
Scottish Rite Temple, added to NRHP January 30, 1976: This historic church building - also known as the Fowler Methodist Episcopal Church - was designed by Warren Howard Hayes and Harry Wild Jones in 1894. Hayes & Jones designed many NRHP churches throughout Minneapolis in the late 1800s, including the Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church and Calvary Baptist Church. A much larger addition to the church was completed in 1906 by Jones. Designed in Romanesque Revival style, the stone walls are comprised of pink jasper and local sandstone. The temple’s most iconic feature is its 24-foot diameter Masonic Knights Templar rose window which is further broken into 12 rose “petals” of leaded stained glass.
Purcell-Cutts House, added to NRHP October 29, 1974: At 2328 Lake Place, this famous Minneapolis home was designed by the Purcell, Feick & Elmslie architecture firm for architect William Purcell in 1913. Near Lake of the Isles, this home is a pristine example of Prairie School style architecture; a style characterized by horizontal lines, open floor plans, and native materials.
The Purcell family owned the home from 1913 to 1919, when it was sold to Anson Bailey Cutts Sr. and his wife Edna Browning Stokes. The home belonged to the Cutts until 1985, when the house was donated to the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts. The house now operates as a museum, offering tours each month.
Kenwood
Dr. Oscar Owre House, added to NRHP March 8, 1984: Designed by the Purcell, Feick & Elmslie firm in a Prairie School style, the 1912 home located at 2625 Newton Avenue South is shaped like a cube with several porches that radiate from the sides of the house. The home’s design features many shared designs with the Purcell-Cutts House, located on the other side of Lake of the Isles.
Cedar-Isles-Dean
Frieda and Henry J. Neils House, added to NRHP May 26, 2004: This Usonian Style home was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1950-51 for the Neils family of 2801 Burnham Boulevard. The single story, L-shaped Neils House features social and spatial organization into both active and quiet areas with a dominant living room. This Frank Lloyd Wright home is distinctive for its use of unusual building materials not typically seen in homes built during the midst of the 1950s.
The Beach Club Residences, added to NRHP December 23, 2003: Formerly known as the Calhoun Beach Club, the Beach Club Residences of 2730 West Lake Street are a local example of the apartment hotel, a housing type that was popular in urban areas during the 1920s. Designed by Charles Wheeler Nicol in a Georgian Revival style, the building was largely constructed in 1928-29 and completed during a second construction phase in 1946.
The apartment hotel catered to a niche group of middle-class urbanites of diverse backgrounds who wanted the facilities of a private social club but also wanted to emulate lifestyle characteristics typically associated with large American cities. Thus, the apartment hotel served as a pragmatic living choice for those who wanted the amenities of a social club without the burdens or risks associated with home ownership.
Lyndale
Stewart Memorial Presbyterian Church, added to NRHP November 28, 1978: Another Prairie School style building designed by the firm of Purcell & Feick, the 1910 presbyterian church is unique in that the design of the building is a far cry from the Romanesque Revival style churches built throughout the several prior decades in Minneapolis. Purcell & Feick boasted to the media that every line from the basement to the roof was either perpendicular or horizontal. Since its construction, the original design and integrity of the building has remained as sleek and modern stalwart in the Lyndale neighborhood.
South Uptown
White Castle Building Number 8, added to NRHP October 16, 1986: If you’ve ever walked through the South Uptown neighborhood, you are well aware of the unmistakable crenelated towers and parapets of the White Castle building at the northwest corner of Lyndale and West 33rd Street. The prefabricated restaurant building first opened in 1936 next to the University of Minnesota’s east bank campus, replacing a previous White Castle building. In 1950, the White Castle Building No. 8 moved to Marcy-Holmes where it served the neighborhood for 33 years until its closure in 1983 when a new, larger White Castle was opened down the road. In 1984, the Landmark Preservation Commission purchased the White Castle No. 8 building for $10, spending another $10,000 to move the building to its current location in South Uptown.
Kingfield
Church of the Incarnation and Rectory, added to NRHP January 11, 2022: Dominating the southeast intersection of Pleasant Avenue and West 38th Street, the Italian Renaissance style church was constructed of brick and stone in 1918. The church’s entrance features decorative arched brickwork, narrow arched windows, and an intricate circular rose window. The church was designed by architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, who is also responsible for the design of the Basilica of Saint Mary.
East Harriet
Theodore Wirth House - Administration Building, added to NRHP June 7, 2002: Located in Lyndale Farmstead Park, the home was built for Theodore Wirth, superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board from 1906 through 1935. Wirth continued on as superintendent emeritus until his passing in 1949. The house itself was built in a Mission Revival/Colonial style in 1910 by architect Lowell Lamoreaux, who also designed the Eitel Hospital and the Semple House.
After Wirth’s passing, the residence continued the tradition as the home for the superintendent of the park board through the 1990s.
Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel, added to NRHP October 20, 1983: What if you could gather a who’s who of Minneapolis’ history all in one place? Well, that would be a good description of Lakewood Cemetery. Tucked away between Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet, this cemetery is the final resting place of famed Minnesotans such as Theodore Wirth, Bobby Marshall, Rudy Perpich, and Harry Wild Jones, to name a few. Lakewood Cemetery was part of the rural cemetery movement of the late 1800s. The cemetery features rolling landscapes with native plants and a private pond.
Although the cemetery offers many beautifully carved headstones, statues, and tombs; the most famous structure is undoubtedly the Byzantine stylized Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel, built between 1908 and 1910 by architect Harry Wild Jones. Jones drew inspiration from the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul when designing the chapel. The interior of the chapel was designed by Charles R. Lamb, who employed several venetian artists to create the over ten million tiles that adorn the chapel’s dome and interior. When completed, the chapel was the only building in the United States with a mosaic interior.
Linden Hills
Interlachen Bridge, added to NRHP November 6, 1989: By 1879, the Lyndale Railway Company (later the Twin Cities Rapid Transit Company) laid track on what would later become the Como-Harriet streetcar line from downtown Minneapolis to the area between Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet. Here, the neighborhoods of Linden Hills and Cottage City began to develop.
As more individuals moved into the area, there was a realized need for a bridge to span the streetcar line between the lakes to reduce traffic. Thus, William S. Hewett was retained to design and construct a sizable bridge that could accommodate pedestrian, horse, and vehicular traffic. Opened in 1900 at a cost of roughly $6,900, the Interlachen Bridge remains as a virtually unaltered example of a reinforced concrete arched bridge.
Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, added to NRHP October 17, 1977: Once extending from downtown Minneapolis through Linden Hills, the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line operated passenger service beginning in the 1880s through 1954 when the city nixed the streetcars. After the public displayed an interest and enthusiasm in restoring a portion of the streetcar line for leisurely use, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board acquired a portion of the original Como-Harriet line from Lakewood Cemetery to the Queen Avenue bridge in the 1970s.
The Como-Harriet line has one station in operation at West 42nd Street. The original station designed by Harry Wild Jones operated a dining room, candy store, and jail cell in the basement for the Minneapolis Park Police. This station stood until the end of streetcar service in 1954. The station that is now operated by the Minnesota Streetcar Museum at this location is a replica of an early 1900s station that was replaced by the Harry Wild Jones structure in 1912.
Queen Avenue Bridge, added to NRHP November 6, 1989: Added to the NRHP the same day as the Interlachen Bridge; the Queen Avenue Bridge is the third-oldest reinforced concrete arch bridge in Minnesota. The single-span, barrel-arch bridge was designed by Charles Shelpley and constructed in 1905. Today, the Minnesota Streetcar Museum’s car barn is located within the bridge’s underpass.
Loren L. Chadwick Cottages, added to NRHP February 9, 1984: A pristine remnant of Cottage City, a former neighborhood on the south side of Bde Maka Ska intended for modest lake cottages and three-season cabins. At 2617 West 40th Street, two of the distinctive 1902 cottages from Cottage City were conjoined in 1972 to form the Chadwick Cottages.
Minneapolis Fire Department Station 28, added to NRHP November 12, 1993: Built in 1914 to serve as the fire station for the Linden Hills neighborhood, the station was the first to be designed for motorized fire engines. The Minneapolis Fire Department has since moved their operations, the former station 28 at 2724 West 43rd Street is now home to The Harriet Brasserie with offices occupying the second story.
Linden Hills Branch Library, added to NRHP May 26, 2000: The library at 2900 West 43rd Street was built in 1931 in a Tudor Revival style by Joseph Victor Vanderbilt. The building is primarily composed of red brick and limestone with a slate roof. Since its inception, the library has been a cultural and social center for the Linden Hills neighborhood.
Lake Harriet Methodist Episcopal Church, added to NRHP May 19, 2014: The 1916 structure at 4401 Upton Avenue South was designed in a Classical Revival style by architecture firm Fulton & Butler. The building’s significant features include the portico of ionic columns at the primary entrance and the large central domed roof that can be seen from up to a mile away.
The Lake Harriet Methodist Episcopal Church left the 4401 Upton South building in 1954 after a new, larger church building was constructed for the congregation about a mile to the southwest. Today, the church is occupied by the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community.
Lynnhurst
Floyd B. Olson House, added to NRHP December 31, 1974: The former home of Minnesota Governor from 1931-1936 Floyd B. Olson is located at 1914 West 49th Street. The 1922 home is a characteristic Minneapolis craftsman-bungalow with low pitched gable roofing, stucco and wood siding, horizontal proportions, and an open floor plan.
The home was placed on the National Register for Floyd B. Olson’s influential state leadership. Olson served as the Minnesota Governor for three terms and served as Hennepin County Attorney for a decade.
Charles and Grace Parker House, added to NRHP June 11, 1992: Located at 4829 Colfax Avenue South, the Parker House is another exemplary example of the Prairie School House architecture by the Purcell, Feick & Elmslie firm. The home was built in 1913 for Charles Parker, a Minneapolis businessman and civic leader of the community.
Tangletown
The Washburn Park Water Tower, added to NRHP October 6, 1983: Strategically located at the precipice of one of the highest hills in south Minneapolis, the Washburn Park Water Tower is an unmistakable landmark. The water tower was designed by Harry Wild Jones, William S. Hewitt, and John K. Daniels in 1931 to replace a former water tower that was at the same location in 1893.
The water tower is famed for its eight hooded knights that are sculpted around the base of the tower. Known as the Guardians of Health, these knights were supposedly placed around the tower to protect the water supply from pollutants and contaminants. Perched high above the Guardians of Health are eight concrete eagles that lookout over south Minneapolis.
Harry Wild Jones House, added to NRHP June 7, 1976: At 5101 Nicollet Avenue, the Harry Wild Jones House was one of the first homes in the Tangletown area when built in 1887. His home set the tone for the housing stock design of Tangletown. Harry Wild Jones was a famed architect of his day; he is responsible for designing several NRHP-designated buildings throughout the Twin Cities.
Sources:
“1914 West 49th Street” Realtor.com, 2022. https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1914-W-49th-St_Minneapolis_MN_55419_M78119-22236
A. C. Bosselman and Co. (New York, N.Y.) “St. Stephen’s Church, Minneapolis, Minn.” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1910s. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/p17208coll15/id/26
“Amos B. Coe House” Miller Hanson Architects. https://www.millerhanson.com/portfolio-items/amos-b-coe-house/
“Architects and Engineers Building” Hennepin County Digital Library - Minneapolis Tribune, 1920. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/1305
Anderson, Lauren; Tamara Ludt. “National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Church of the Incarnation and Rectory” United States Department of the Interior, Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, June, 2021. https://mn.gov/admin/assets/Curch%20of%20the%20Incarnation%20Combined%20Nomination_tcm36-501979.pdf
Blewett, Kirt. “Passing Cottage City, Minneapolis, Minnesota” Minnesota Digital Library, 1946. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/msn:1040#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=169%2C-295%2C5071%2C3162
Buchta, Jim. “Saving a MPLS. Landmark” Star Tribune, November 5, 2020. P. D1.
Busch, Robert C. “Basilica of St. Mary” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1936. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/11246
Busch, Robert C. “Lake Harriet Methodist Episcopal Church” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1936.
Busch, Robert C. “Scottish Rite Temple” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1936. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/12694
Busch, Robert C. “Semple House” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1936. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/11110
“Calhoun Beach Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota” Minnesota Digital Library, 1931. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/msn:981#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=1417%2C59%2C4604%2C2871
Chicagogeek “Oscar Owre House (1911)” Flickr, July 14, 2012. https://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagogeek/8069302478
C. J. Hibbard and Company. “Lakewood Chapel, Minneapolis, Minn.” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1912.
“Davies Mortuary” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1970s. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/CPED/id/15956/rec/13
“Elizabeth C. Quinlan residence, 1711 Emerson Avenue South, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, 1925. http://www.placeography.org/index.php/Image:Thom2729--1711_Emerson_Avenue_South.jpg
“Elizabeth Quinlan’s Renaissance Revival Palace” Forgotten Minnesota, March 21, 2014. https://forgottenminnesota.com/2014/03/quinlans-renaissance-revival-palace/
Elkman. “Elisha and Lizzie Morse Jr. House in Minneapolis, Minnesota” Wikimedia Commons, March 29, 2008. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elisha-Lizzie_Morse_House_4.JPG
“Eugene Carpenter residence, 300 Clifton Avenue, Minneapolis” Minnesota Historical Society, 1914. http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display?irn=10760500&return=collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-census%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26count%3D25%26imagesonly%3Dyes%26q%3Deugene%2520carpenter%26tab%3Dresearch_items
“Freida and Henry J. Neils House” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1970s. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/CPED/id/32729
“George R. Newell home, 1818 Vine Place, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, 1910. https://media.mnhs.org/things/cms/10103/427/pf024031.jpg
"George W. Van Dusen Mansion". Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission. February 2007.
“George W. Van Dusen residence, 1900 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis” Minnesota Historical Society, 1894. https://media.mnhs.org/things/cms/10339/272/10339272.640x640.jpg?irn=10339272
Hembree, Jennifer F. “Buzza Company Building” MacRostie Historic Advisors LLC, August 11, 2011. www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/docs_pdfs/0022_buzzabuilding.pdf
“Home of Elbert L. Carpenter, 314 Clifton Avenue, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, 1910. http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display?irn=10720056&return=collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-census%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26count%3D25%26imagesonly%3Dyes%26q%3Delbert%2520carpenter%26tab%3Dresearch_items
Howard, Barbara Mitchell. “National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Lake Harriet Methodist Episcopal Church” United States Department of the Interior, March 31, 2014. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/cd6f58dc-2c51-45a4-85ee-8c7eebf396d9
J. H. Kammerdiener Commercial Photographs. “Calvary Baptist Church Dedicates New Parish House” Hennepin County Digital Library, June 19, 1928. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/43435
Johnson, Kate. “Home of Harry Wild Jones” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1977. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/p17208coll10/id/32
Kairies, A. E. “Maternity Hospital - Third Building” Hennepin County Digital Library. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/10863
Kammerdiener, John H. “Northwestern National Life Insurance Company” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1927. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/Kammer/id/135
Koop, Michael. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Church of St. Stephen (Catholic)". United States Department of the Interior, January, 1990. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/91001058_text
Langdon, Vernon. “Como-Harriet Line, Minneapolis, Minnesota” Minnesota Digital Library, 1954. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/msn:1711#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-351%2C-125%2C4604%2C2871
Larson, P. “Gluek House, Hennepin Co., Mpls, MN” House Novel. https://housenovel.com/single-property/2447-bryant-avenue-south-minneapolis-mn-usa-home-history
Leatherberry, Earl. “Minnesota, Minneapolis, Loren L. Chadwick Cottages” Flickr, June 14, 2021. https://www.flickr.com/photos/23711298@N07/51272922073
Lileks, James. “The Restaurant Forbidden to Sell Food” Star Tribune, April 21, 2019. P. E16.
“Linden Hills Branch, Minneapolis Public Library, Minneapolis, Minnesota.” Minnesota Digital Library, 1931. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/mpls:23824#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-970%2C-72%2C5132%2C3199
Lutz, Thomas J. “Stewart Memorial Presbyterian Church, 116 East Thirty-second Street, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, 1973. https://media.mnhs.org/things/cms/10198/419/pf045651.jpg
Miller Studios. “Church of the Incarnation” Hennepin County Digital Library, October 7, 1934. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/43586
Millett, Larry. “When Victorian Met Modern” Star Tribune, August 4, 2018. P. E1.
“Minnesota Preservation Planner” Minnesota Historical Society, Winter 2005. Vol. XVI, No. 1. http://www.mnhs.org/about/publications/planner/jan-feb2005.pdf
Nelson, Charles W. “Edwin H. Hewitt Residence, 126 East Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis” Minnesota Historical Society, June, 1974. https://media.mnhs.org/things/cms/10197/866/pf024156.jpg
Nelson, Charles W. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form: Martin, Charles J., House" United States Department of the Interior, November 8, 1977. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/78001541_text
Nelson, Charles W. “Townhouses, 1213-21 Hawthorne Avenue, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, June, 1974. http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display?irn=10825018&return=collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-census%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26count%3D25%26imagesonly%3Dyes%26q%3Dswinford%26tab%3Dresearch_items
“New on the National Register of Historic Places: Alano Society of Minneapolis Clubhouse, 2218 1st Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn.” Hennepin County Library - Tumblr, April 2022. https://hclib.tumblr.com/post/682171504062070784/new-on-the-national-register-of-historic-places
Nord, Mary Ann. “The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota: a Guide” Minnesota Historical Society Press, Minneapolis, MN. 2003.
Norton & Peel. “Buzza Company Building Under Construction” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1926. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/1938
Norton & Peel. “C. J. Martin residence, 1300 Mount Curve Avenue, Minneapolis.” Minnesota Historical Society, November 17, 1953. http://collections.mnhs.org/cms/display?irn=10858675&return=collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-census%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-dci%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26collection%5B%5D%3Dmn_mhs-bci%252A%252A%252ANOT%252A%252A%252A%26count%3D25%26imagesonly%3Dyes%26q%3Dcharles%2520martin%26tab%3Dresearch_items
Norton & Peel. “Wesley Temple and Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church” Hennepin County Digital Library, September 17, 1929. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/43803
Palmer, Kim. “$5.99M Minneapolis Mansion has a Fame-Filled, Party-Packed History” Star Tribune, July 11, 2018. https://www.startribune.com/5-99m-minneapolis-mansion-has-a-fame-filled-party-packed-history/487890421/
Pearson, Marjorie. “Eitel Hospital; National Register of Historic Places Registration Form” United States Department of the Interior, July 2007. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/07001313_text
Roberts, Norene. “House on 1st Avenue South” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1980s. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/HRInc/id/662
Smoley, John. “National Register of HIstoric Places Nomination - Laurel Apartments, 15 15th Street North” Minneapolis Department of Community Planning & Economic Development. https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/download/Agenda/471/1515thStNNRHPMemoandattachments.pdf/41652/1583/15%2015th%20St%20N%20NRHP%20Memo%20and%20attachments
“The History of Semple Mansion” The Semple Mansion. https://semplemansion.com/history-of-semple-mansion
“Theodore Wirth Home” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1940. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/47911
“The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis; National Register of Historic Places Registration Form” United States Department of the Interior. https://mn.gov/admin/assets/Womans%20Club%20Combined%20Nomination_tcm36-501983.pdf
Trout-Oertel, Diane. “National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form: Calhoun Beach Club” United States Department of the Interior, March, 2003. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/03001335_text
V. O. Hammon Publishing Co. “Eitel Hospital, Minneapolis, Minn.” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1930s. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/p17208coll15/id/654
“Walker Branch, Minneapolis Public Library, Minneapolis, Minnesota.” Minnesota Digital Library, 1911. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/mpls:23891#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-752%2C-639%2C5011%2C3124
“Washburn Park Water Tower” Hennepin County Digital Library. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/49958
“Westminster Presbyterian” Hennepin County Digital Library. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/MplsPhotos/id/43704
“W. G. Purcell House, 2328 Lake Place, Minneapolis” Minnesota Historical Society, 1965. https://media.mnhs.org/things/cms/10102/442/pf021431.jpg
“White Castle Building Number 8 Being Moved to Its Final Location” Hennepin County Digital Library, 1984. https://digitalcollections.hclib.org/digital/collection/CPED/id/14833
Zamith, Rodrigo. “Ripley Gardens Grows on you” Star Tribune, May 24, 2008. P. B1.
Special thanks to the Landmarks and Historic Districts collection at minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/property-housing/landmarks/.
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