Minnesota History Tours

This was a special tour put on by those who are assembling historical resources focusing on the laborers who built the Minnesota State Capitol. The research used in this was funded by a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant which is a great example of the kind of mileage available from a very straightforward research proposal. [...]

Jeffers Petroglyphs site manager, Tom Sanders, describes the beauty and changing flora of the prairie. The Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site is arguably one the most significant historic and cultural sites of its kind in the world. Its continued use over 9,000 years attests to its importance in traditional indigenous culture. The Jeffers Petroglyphs podcasts presents [...]

Dakota Elder Carrie Schommer, Upper Sioux, speaks in Dakota about the site and its meaning to her. The Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site is arguably one the most significant historic and cultural sites of its kind in the world. Its continued use over 9,000 years attests to its importance in traditional indigenous culture. The Jeffers Petroglyphs [...]

Vernell Wabasha, a Sioux Elder, discusses what the Petroglyphs mean to her. The Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site is arguably one the most significant historic and cultural sites of its kind in the world. Its continued use over 9,000 years attests to its importance in traditional indigenous culture. The Jeffers Petroglyphs podcasts presents a variety of [...]

Dakota Elder Joe Williams, Sisseton Wahpeton, relates a traditional story, Nape, or hand print, and its meaning to native people. The Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site is arguably one the most significant historic and cultural sites of its kind in the world. Its continued use over 9,000 years attests to its importance in traditional indigenous culture. [...]

Geologist Mark Jirsa, describes the geological significance of the Sioux quartzite ridge of southwestern Minnesota. The Jeffers Petroglyphs historic site is arguably one the most significant historic and cultural sites of its kind in the world. Its continued use over 9,000 years attests to its importance in traditional indigenous culture. The Jeffers Petroglyphs podcasts presents [...]

Welcome to Summit Avenue. An impressive street filled with impressive homes - as well as some fabulous greenspaces and beautiful churches. We’ll begin in the little park, known as Lookout Park, on the corner of Summit, between Western and Arundel. Once we get moving, I’ll let you know when we’re going to move onto the [...]

Just in front of you, you can see the University Club, situated at a prime location on the corner of Ramsey Hill and Summit Avenue, with a great view out the back windows over the river valley. This building was designed by Reed and Stem in 1913 – the same architecture firm that designed the [...]

We’re standing on the sidewalk, in front of 432 Summit, looking up the walk to the second oldest house still standing on Summit Avenue. When it was built in 1862, there was a hotel across the street on the site of Lookout Park, where we started, and there were a total of six other houses [...]

We’re standing in front of 516 Summit, a little gem of a house that was built for a member of the Butler family, a family known locally for Butler Brothers construction, who among many other things built the MN State Capitol. This house was finished in 1914 – so if you’re tracking, the year after [...]

If you’re taking this tour on foot, to get the best view of 590 Summit I recommend that you stand a little to the left of the house, so you’re able to see the side of the house and the Japanese-inspired gardens. Now, you might think that this house looks much more modern than many houses [...]

Imagine for a moment that you live in one of the grand houses we’ve stopped at already, or perhaps another favorite you’ve discovered along the way. As you’re living in your dream home, the empty lot next door is suddenly under construction – and instead of building a house, they’re building an apartment building! [...]

People often ask me, “Where’s F. Scott Fitzgerald’s house?” Well, as you know, the truth is there isn’t just one house – but frequently, this one is the one people are looking for. 599 Summit Avenue is one of two Fitzgerald residences that have a plaque commemorating the author – the other is [...]

We’re pausing just for a moment here to look at Summit Avenue’s own secret garden. This is a rather unusual re-use of land on Summit - the house that originally stood here was torn down in 1970. Why? - I don’t know. At some point after that, the land was purchased by the [...]

Here we are at 445 Summit, a superb example of another house style popular in the 1880s and 1890s, called Queen Anne. This house is believed to be the first Queen Anne-style house in St. Paul. It was started in 1882, and many local architectural historians consider it one of the finest examples of [...]

Here we have yet another house style - the 1950s rambler. You might be thinking - what is this house doing on Summit Avenue? Like many of the houses we see on Summit today, this was not the first house on this property - it’s actually the third. The first 1870s house was [...]

Well, that’s the full route for our walking tour today. Thanks so much for joining me as we explored just a little section of St. Paul’s Summit Avenue. Now, if you’re not done walking, I recommend venturing off onto any of the side streets to see more of the area. If you’re hungry, keep [...]