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The home served as the center for the public and private lives of the Hill family for the next 30 years. Children grew up in the house, and four daughters had their weddings in the large drawing room. Newlyweds often lived in the enormous house until their own homes were completed, five of which were close by on Summit Avenue. Hill bought three lots on Summit Avenue in 1882, during an era when wealthy citizens were scrambling to build fashionable homes in the neighborhood. The street offered a commanding view of downtown St. Paul and the Mississippi River area, making it a highly desirable location. The family previously lived in the Lowertown area in St. Paul, near Ninth and Canada streets.
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Buzzers under the dining room tables allowed Mary Hill to discreetly summon waitresses during a meal. Thirteen bathrooms featured state-of-the-art plumbing, with hot and cold running water. An elaborate ventilation system, which included twenty-two fireplaces, ensured that air moved freely throughout the house. The house’s total cost, including furnishings and other expenses, came to $931,275.01. By the late 1870s, James Hill’s growing fortunes and family required a larger home that reflected his elevated status within the community. Hill, his wife, Mary, and their children had moved through several homes over the years, mostly in the Lowertown neighborhood of St. Paul.
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The second floor contained Mr. and Mrs. Hill's rooms, two guest rooms, and rooms for their five daughters, Gertrude, Rachel, Clara, Ruth, and Charlotte. The third floor contained rooms for their sons James, Walter, and Louis (who later succeeded his father as president of the Great Northern Railway). It also had a room that served as a gymnasium and school room for the children, as well as quarters for the servants. In summary, the Minneapolis, MN metro area is a place with a rich history and a strong sense of community.
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The mansion was home to the Saint Paul Diocesan Teachers College from 1927 to 1951. It housed various educational programs run by the nearby College of St. Catherine and administrative offices for the Archdiocese. The second floor was where James, Mary, and their daughters had their bedrooms.
Nearing the century mark, downtown St. Paul's James J. Hill Center to close in July - St. Paul Pioneer Press
Nearing the century mark, downtown St. Paul's James J. Hill Center to close in July.
Posted: Tue, 11 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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The house could be seen from the front on Summit Avenue, and from the back along the river and from downtown St. Paul. Unlike most neighboring homes, the Hills’ house featured finished facades on both its front and back. New residents should be prepared for the cold winters that come with heavy snowfall, as well as the hot, humid summers. It's important to have the right clothing and gear for the changing seasons. When it comes to voting, the Minneapolis metro area tends to lean towards progressive and liberal ideologies.
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Hill oversaw the planning, construction, and furnishing of the house as if it were a new branch of the railroad. He rejected stained-glass window designs by Tiffany and Company, saying they were "anything but what I want," and even replaced the architects when they ignored his orders to the stonecutters. He instructed his Boston interior design firm Irving and Casson to finish the project. Their work included a large number of custom furniture pieces on the first and second floors. In 1925, family members donated the house to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
James J. Hill and the day the railroads roiled Wall Street - MinnPost
James J. Hill and the day the railroads roiled Wall Street.
Posted: Thu, 03 Oct 2013 07:00:00 GMT [source]
As new warehouses and railroad tracks crowded the Lowertown residential area, and as Hill's collection of paintings and sculpture overflowed the house, the Hill family thought it was desirable to move. Hill also realized that recent improvements in home technology, such as electric lighting, plumbing, ventilation, and fireproofing, could be incorporated into a new home. Moreover, since Hill was becoming a socially prominent person in the community, a new home would stand as a tribute to his status as the "Empire Builder". Living in Minneapolis offers a high quality of life with a close-knit community feel. The city boasts a lively arts scene with many theaters, museums, and galleries.
Explore the best places to buy a house based on home values, property taxes, home ownership rates, housing costs, and real estate trends. Once slated for demolition, the iconic City House is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The City House facility, formerly know as the Saint Paul Municipal Elevator and Sackhouse, has been restored as a park pavilion and interpretative center situated on piers and cantilevered out over the Mississippi River. Located in downtown Saint Paul at Mill St. and Walnut St. along the Sam Morgan Regional Trail, the facility offers beautiful views of the Mississippi River and the downtown skyline.
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When the house was completed in 1891, it was equipped with the most advanced technologies of the day. Built during the transition between gas and electric lighting, the house was designed to include both. For security, windows and doors were wired to an annunciator system that would ring an alarm in the houseman’s room if they were opened unexpectedly.
The church used it for the next fifty-three years as space for offices, residences, and a teacher's college for women. The church preserved it well and did not make any significant alterations, although most of the original furniture was sold during this period. In 1961, the United States Department of the Interior designated the house a National Historic Landmark. The Minnesota Historical Society acquired the house in 1978, after the Archdiocese consolidated its offices elsewhere.
It remains one of the best examples of Richardsonian Romanesque mansions in the country. A resource for reliable information about significant people, places, events, and things in Minnesota history. Solid, substantial, roomy, and comfortable is the new home of James J. Hill and family. There has been no attempt at display, no desire to flaunt an advertisement of wealth in the eyes of the world. Impressive, fine, even grand in the simplicity of design, but after all a St. Paul home.
The Hills planned a house with the latest in modern conveniences where they could receive and entertain nationally known civic and religious leaders. Experience Christmas in 1910—both upstairs and downstairs—in the sumptuous Gilded Age mansion of railroad titan James J. Hill. Construction on City House began in 1927, and today it stands as an important reminder of Saint Paul's history as a Mississippi River port city.
Visit the National Park Service Saint Paul Municipal Elevator and Sackhouse website for more information on the historical significance of City House. Get a behind-the-scenes look at areas of the James J. Hill House that are not featured on the standard house tour including the attic theater space, gate house and storage areas generally off-limits to visitors. SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment.
Visitors will marvel at the intricate wood carvings, stained glass windows and other surprises that adorn this gilded age treasure. Guides will immerse guests in the story of James J. Hill, his wife Mary, their 10 children and the domestic staff who worked in the home. Seasonal walking tours on Summit Ave. and Nooks & Crannies tours are available seasonally and with limited availability. Discover the splendor of Minnesota’s Downton Abbey — a 36,000-square-foot Gilded Age mansion — and imagine what life was like for the Hill family, their servants, workers, and guests. Take a guided tour and then explore the art gallery, which features Minnesota art and artists.
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