The Historic Mansions of Summit Avenue | Saint Paul, Minnesota.

It was one of the last weekends of late summer in Minnesota, when the heart yearned to spend every warm minute outdoors soaking up the beauty of the season. 

The Twin Cities which consist of Minneapolis and Saint Paul have distinct personalities. Saint Paul is influenced by early Irish, French & German Catholic heritage.

We decided to explore Summit Avenue which is the preserved heritage neighbourhood of Victorian mansions. It extends from the very majestic Cathedral Of Saint Paul with it's copper dome to a 5-mile length of the avenue.

There are many organised tours held by the Minnesota Historical Society, since ours was an impromptu trip we just decided to walk as far as our legs would take us, enjoying the weather and marvelling at the 19th century architecture.

Most of the mansions were built in 1860's by Railroad and Lumbar Barons.

The gateway to a bygone era.

As we passed each Victorian style mansion, we realised they very so unique and distinct in design.

295 Summit Lindeke Mansion

 Come sit a while and watch the season making an exit.

The walk was so breathtakingly beautiful with fresh tender vines entwined around age old rusty iron fences.

 One single puffy cloud.

The Old Smith 'Vine' Masion
This mansion covered with vine was built 1858 and probably one of the oldest in the neighbourhood.

 Our vibrant path.


There are many notable buildings like the James J. Hill House, F. Scott Fitzgerald House and Frank B. Kellogg House in the neighbourhood.

Addison G. Foster Home 

 Mrs. Porterfield's Boarding House and George W. Freeman House.

The George W. Freeman was built in 1884. The blended style of the orange stone home is called Romanesque Revival, but they took it to a new level replacing stone columns with white Corinthian period Roman columns and even capped it off Spanish style red terracotta roof.  For its day the blending of this many differing styles must have made the house a great statement piece of art.

 Cyrus B. Thurston House

Mrs. J. W. Bass House was built in 1891 as a Victorian style home but soon remodelled it into a Colonial Revival style by adding Roman columns.

 The elusive Monarch butterfly poses for me!

The famous F. Scott Fitzgerald row house. This is the place where he spent most of his youth and apparently wrote his first novel 'This Side of Paradise.'

 The delights of summer!






The House of Hope Presbyterian Church

Hope readers of Rang Decor liked the historical walk on Summit Avenue with it's rich 19th century architectural styles. While researching I learnt a lot about the Victorian, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival styles.

Do click on the links to read in detail about the history of various mansions. If you find yourself in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The historical tour of Summit Avenue is a must do:-)

(Photographs by Arch & are copyrighted. Reference from Wikipedia, Minnesota Historical Society)