Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE: (Rev. 6-72) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Minnesota COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Clay INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE *• *• • (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) PEC s o 1974 COMMON: Comstock, Solomon Oilman, House AND/OR HISTORIC: Comstock, Solomon Oilman, House 1$*;:;*;$;:^^ |:*^;:;::|^t:;ft:^:UW-;x;x:::yx::;:::;::::: '^mM^-W^: fmmf:--'-, •'•'•^1:*: * mS^^-^mm^: ^'Km:-: ' '.^mim ^ 'fM STREET ANQNUMBER: 5th Avenue and 8th Street South CITY OR TOWN: CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Moorhead Seventh STA TE ' CODE COUNTY: CODE Minnesota 22 Clay 027 l::^::' :' :::::a!^:j|::^A: ^:tt:li^ :l:i^ :ii:'T::il :iriikl : • • ; • : x". : : : x'.Vx. ' '• ;': :'x : x : x : . .•'•'•'. x: x: x : x '•.• •. x'x'x : : x-: : :": '•'"'•. "x-x". •' : :- ••:•:•:• -x :: : : :: : : x:x'. :x : x'x'x : x : ; : x-x'x ::: : : :x :::x : : :x: . : :"' x: x :>x :: |'-'Vt«:--'''-^i'"-t*/lN^HlT:r^' l'\^~'% T :''I V"™ -. • '- - ' '- '••' "' ' ''-•' ' - ' ' : x":x : ••"•"•• • : •'.- .' .'•.'•' ". .'-• '•: ; .-'•: • • • • •••- .'•-. .' : Vxx : x'x'x '••••"•'xx-'- ••• ••••x-x : --''x':':::-.-:-x'' : '-x :x: x STATUS ACCESSIBLE CATEGORY OWNERSHIP (Check One) TO THE PUBLIC CU District QQ Building S3 Public Public Acquisition: JX] Occupied Yes: I—in . CX Restricted d Site Q Structure CJ Private D In Process LJ Unoccupied ^4i _ PI Unrestricted Q Object D Both D Bein 9 Considered | _1 Preservation work — in progress ' — ' PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) I 1 Agricultural 1 I Government t~~l Park D Transpor^rtl^^jJ^Qoftteents O Commercial CU Industrial Q Private Residence n Other ft^\£^jjT^X/X [3 Educational CU Military Q Religious /y RECB^EU ^\ [ | Entertainment [jj Museum Q Scientific ———hSf- ——— e 1074 \rs\ — :W:¥:¥:W:SS;:S;|l!*^::-::::¥::^::::iatW^^ OWNER'S NAME: AO\ « i ft TM/"\M flkl t~~* 1 ' ^\ N A 1 ivJlNr*1- /»»•*/ STATE' Minnesota Historical Society vA, REGISTER r-^j Minneso STREET AND NUMBER: 690 Cedar Street X<^T___^7 CITY OR TOWN: STAT E: ^-—J—— 6-^ CODF rr St. Paul Minnesota 22 COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: COUNTY: Clay County Courthouse Clay STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: ''. STAT E CODE Moorhead Minnesota 22 :::::::^ : :::::::::::::::::::::::::;::::::::::"£ SSxSSSgmsgSSSg f : i ENTR TITLE OF SURVEY: r 3 Minnesota State Register of Historic Sites .0 -n NUMBERY O DATE OF SURVEY: 1969 Q Federal JX] State Q County Q Local < 70 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: _ k Z •>*4LO Minnesota Historical Society <*• c STREET AND NUMBER: m o 690 Cedar Street z CITY OR TOWN: STATE^: CODE St. Paul Minnesota 22 DATE1 (Check One) Excellent (Xl Good Q Fair Q Deteriorated d) Ruins d Unexposed CONDITION ("Check One> fC/iecft One.) Altered (XI Unaltered Q Moved [Xj Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE The Solomon G. Comstock House was constructed'on its present location in 1883 according to designs by the Minneapolis architectural firm of Kees and 'Finch\ /It is executed in a stylistic mode which contains features from Queen Amuf and EastlalwK designs. Although the tower is absent the massing is essentially that of a multi-gabled two story Queen Anne wood frame house and is characterized by a profusion of spindle work porches, high patterned chimneys, and poly-chromed siding and trim. The porch posts, brackets and gable treatment, however, are more EasOake as is evidenced by the lathe-turned posts, incised spandrels, and patterned diagonal siding juxtaposed with areas of rectangular panels and shingles. The design features have survived intact and are^ in_ excellent condi­ tion. The Solomon G. Comstock House is one of the best extant and un­ altered representatives of late Victorianvdrchitecture in the Moorhead area. It is also one of the few houses in Moorhead to retain the spacious lawns typical of the late 1800 urban mansions. m rn The interior is comprised of eleven rooms distributed on two floors. Upon entry to the front hall access is given to the second floor by means of an oak balustraded staircase. Oak and gumwood doors lead to the parlor, library, and sitting room. The dining room, pantry, kitchen, and bedroom ' *" and bath are located at the rear of the first floor. The second floor -* contains fowr bedrooms and a maid's chamber, all accessible from a 73 central hall. To the rerai*'of the house is a multi-doored storage building one story ° in height. The original carriage barn to the north of the house was removed at an early date when the lot upon which it stood was divided from the original homestead and sold. The Solomon G. Comstock House is in process of restoration to its 1883 appearance. Many rooms contain original -furnishings and personal effects of the Comstock family. PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) I | Pre-Columbion ! I 1 16th Century CD 18th Century 20th Century n 15th Century Q 17th Century 0 19th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (II Applicable and Known) 1883 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal [X] Education %\ Political- •| | LMjan Planning I | -P-rehrstoric CD Engineering CD Religion/Phi- ED Other (Specify) t CD Historic (2) Industry losophy Immigration and | | Agriculture [ | Invention _ Science Settlement JX) Architecture [| Landscape I | Sculpture D Art Architecture CD Social/Human­ |Xl Commerce CD Literature itarian CD Communications CD Military | | Theater | | Conservation (XI Transportation STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE;.*|NV.F. _^ Solomon G.. ComstComstock is noted as one of the first settlers of Moorhead in clay County, Minnesota. From the time he arrived in 1871 until his death he actively participated in the political, social and educational growth of the county and state. Soon after he arrived in Moorhead he took up^ the practice of law and was appointed county attorney in 1872, a position that he held until 1881. A staunch Republican, Comstock represented his constituents in U the Minnesota"Legislature and the United States Congress. He was elected, as representative to the state legislature in 1875, a position he held until 1878. In 1883 he was elected to the state senate and served for four consecutive terms. He served as a representative in the 57th Congress of the United States from 1889-1891. While in the ^tate legislature he served as chairman of the finance committee of the house, and also of the judiciary and temperance committees of theQenate. The endeayors of Solomon Comstock often times took,the form of LU civic contributions to the community of Moorhead. His belief in the LU importance of higher education made Solomon Comstock an early advocate for the establishment of an educational system in Moorhead. Solomon Comstock, along with two other Moorhead citizens, served as director of a corporation which established the Bishop Whipple School. The directors acquired six acres of land and erected the building on what is now the site of Concordia College. While Comstock was serving in the state Senate he proposed the establishment of a state normal school at Moorhead. The legislature of 1885 voted to locate the fourth normal school at Moorhead on six acres which Comstock contributed for that purpose. He served as resident director of the school from 1894-1899. This school later became Moorhead State College. The present student union was endowed by Comstock and named for him. In the field of business and industry Solomon Comstock was a fore­ runner in his community. He was one of a group of pioneer bankers who established the First National Bank of Moorhead in 1881. In 1883 he was one of the principal incorporators of the Moorhead Foundry, Car, and Agricultural works. This industry supplied the community with farm machinery, ditchers and heavy machinery of many varieties. Solomon Comstock 1 s close working relationship with railroad builder James J. Hill resulted in the development of an outstanding railroad system in the Red River Valley.____ _________________________________________ (see continuation sheet) Fargo Forum -- March 27, 1937. Marquis, A.N. , ed., The Book of Minnesotans, (Chicago: 1907}. Moorhead Daily News -- June 3, 1937. Sunday Fargo Forum -- November 7, 1965. Turner, John and Semling, C. K. , editors, History of Clay and Norman Counties Minnesota, vol. 1, (India napolis: 1918). Upham, Warren, ed., Minnesota Historic al Society Collections, vol.. 14, (St. Paul: 1912). Ill LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGIT-JDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY ' 3 DEFINING THii (_t«TZR POIN 1 OF A PnOPERTY 9 OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES ————————— . ————————————————————————— ————————————————————————— |\ ' • - CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LOI<JGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees KMinutes Seconds NW ° ' " o . » 46o 52- 10 • 96o 46 ' A - NE ° ° SE ° ° cz> SW ° o , . APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: ^ 3.CTG. ^——~ (LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR &a^lV^}^jOJ.^OA>UES STATE: CODE CODE rn COUNTY /^)^ ^ \\^^\ rn STATE: CODE COUNTY: fCO/ " V"y>\ CODE pj NOY 5 1974 t' \ STATE: CODE COUNTY: \^\ ^pJ\ON^ Rl^i CODE 7 STATE: CODE COUNTY: X.'XV * *"" ^£^2f CODE 5O ;:^:;:^:;:!:!:::::::::;::::::::::::^ NAME AND TITLE: Lynne Van Brocklin - Charles W. Nelson 0 ORGANIZATION DATE Minnesota Historical Society July 30, 1974 STREET AND NUMBER: Building 25, Fort Snelling CITY OR TOWN: STATE CODE St. Paul Minnesota 22 |ii2ii;:;ip&ii:;:!i;i:&is$^^^ As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na­ I hereby certify that this property is included in the tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion National Register, in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the c-iteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended ^x*^^^ Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation level of significance of this nomination is: National Q State JJ^C Local n ^^ s /^ J/7 I c/~J--*^Q/ /(i_^ Name ^t^^tfj^//• ^^^J^y I ATTEST: Russell W.