Thursday, November 29, 2012

James J. Hill Mansion

Summit Avenue
The Biggest House on a Hill
A Palatial Home





The James J. Hill House, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was built by railroad magnate James J. Hill. The house, completed in 1891, is near the eastern end of Summit Avenue near the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The house, for its time, was very large and was the "showcase of St. Paul" until James J. Hill's death in 1916. 
Rear view of the house
It is listed as a U.S. National Historic Landmark, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. (Credit: Wiki-go here to learn more about this house and its owner.)


19 comments:

  1. A very impressive abode!

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  2. Befitting home for this man of great vision. An Empire builder indeed!
    Thanks for the link.

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    1. It is now a museum, fun to visit, and astonishing how SOME people used to live.

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  3. wow, can you imagine living in a place like that?! it's beautiful...happy it is a museum so others can enjoy it :)

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  4. I can picture the area where this is located. A lot of money was made in railroads!

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  5. That place was built to stand the test of time. It makes me think of some of the English manor houses.

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  6. For some reason I always wonder what the utility bills in a place like this are these days!

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  7. That is an amazing structure. Do you know if it's made of Minnesota sandstone?

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    1. Lowell, here is what I found on the Minnesota Historical Society's website: Completed in 1891, the red sandstone residence was the setting of the public and private lives of the Hill family.

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  8. Aha! I'm not so dumb as I thought. Looked like sandstone to me. :-) Thanks!

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  9. It looks like it was certainly built to last!

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  10. The word "massive" comes to mind.

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  11. Beautiful home. I am sure it is grand on the inside as well.

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  12. This is one of my favorite places to go, Kate! We are going on the 7th for the performance of Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" at the foot of the grand staircase.

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  13. That is quite a place, Kate. Maybe a bit bigger and darker and gloomier than I prefer, but still quite a place.

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  14. What a beautiful looking home. I had a chance to meet Becky today!

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  15. Fantastic architecture!

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