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RAMSEY COUNTY Euphoria Dimmed: X-Rays’ First Victim A Publication of the Ramsey County Historical Society Page 16 Winter, 1997 Volume 31, Number 4 Rats, Politicans, Librarians Untold Stories of t Old St. Francis Hotel Page 4 M IM I "*•** INI M C M Y I IRK •••(IIS RIRIT Miti« A brightly lighted downtown St. Paul was photographed on the night of September 4, 1952. This view looks west along Seventh Street from Wabasha to St. Peter. The St. Frances is on the right. Minnesota Historical Society photo. KAMdtY BOUNTY HISTORY Executive Director " W " " W " RAMSEY COUNTY Priscilla Famham Editor Virginia Brainard Kunz History RAMSEY COUNTY •/ Volume 31, Number 4 Winter, 1997 HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS John M. Lindley Chair CONTENTS Laurie Zenner President Howard M. Guthmann 3 Letters First Vice President Evangeline Schroeder Second Vice President 4 Rats, Politicians and Librarians Charles H. Williams, Jr. The Untold Stories of the Old St. Francis Hotel Secretary Paul R. Gold Robert F.Garland Treasurer 1 0 Growing Up in St. Paul Arthur H. Baumeister, Jr., Alexandra Bjork- lund, W. Andrew Boss, Mark Eisenschenk, Everyone Knew the Rules for the Rites of Passage Joanne A. Englund, John M. Harens, Marshall R. Hatfield, Judith Frost Lewis, George A. Brenda Raudenbush Mairs, Margaret M. Marrinan, Richard T. Mur phy, Sr., Thomond O’Brien, Bob Olsen, Marvin 1 5 “Empty Nests” and Tea at the Ramsey House J. Pertzik, James A. Russell, Vicenta D. Scar- lett, Richard A. Wilhoit, Anne Cowie Wilson. Patsy Raudenbush EDITORIAL BOARD John M. Lindley, chairman; Thomas H. 1 6 When Euphoria Dimmed: X-Rays’ First Victim Boyd, Thomas C. Buckley, Pat Hart, George McDonald Laurie M. Murphy, Vicenta Scarlett. HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD 2 0 W hat’s Historic About This Site? Elmer L. Andersen, Olivia I. Dodge, The Saint Paul Building Charlton Dietz, William Finney, Clarence Frame, Otis Godfrey, Jr., Ronald Hachey, Deanne Zibell Weber Robert S. Hess, Fred T. Lanners, Jr., D. W. “Don” Larson, George Latimer, Frank Marzitelli, Joseph S. Micallef, Robert Mir- 2 3 Books ick, Samuel Morgan, Marvin J. Pertzik, J. Jerome Plunkett, James Reagan, Solly Robins. Rosalie E. Wahl, Donald D. Woz- 2 6 - 2 7 1996 Donor Recognition niak. RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISIONERS Publication of Ramsey County History is supported in part by a gift from Commissioner Susan Haigh, chairman Clara M. Claussen and Frieda H. Claussen in memory of Henry H.Cowie, Jr. Commissioner Tony Bennett and by a contribution from Reuel D. Harmon Commissioner Dino Guerin Commissioner Rafael Ortega Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt Commissioner Jan Wiessner A Message from the Editorial Board Terry Schutten, manager, Ramsey County ^Pow ard the end of 1996, Ronald M. Hubbs, a long-time supporter of history Ramsey County History is published quarterly by the Ramsey County Historical Society, 323 1 in Ramsey County, died. Ron not only had contributed a number of fine ar- Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth Street, St. Paul, tides that were published over the years in Ramsey County History, but he also Minn. 55102 (612-222-0701). Printed in was unfailingly enthusiastic in his support for the Ramsey County Historical U.S.A. Copyright, 1997, Ramsey County His torical Society. ISSN Number 0485-9758. A ll Society’s publication program. The Society dedicates this issue to his memory rights reserved. No part of this publication and to the great value he placed on history. In it we feature a building—the St. m a y b e re p rin te d o r o th e rw ise re p ro d u c e d Francis Hotel—and a location—Seventh Place—that many residents and visi without written permission from the pub lis h e r. The Society assumes no responsibility tors know but little understand in terms of their historical significance to St. for statements made by contributors. Paul. A companion piece tells the story of the Saint Paul Building. John M. Lindley, chair, Editorial Board 2 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY What’s Historic About This Site? The Saint Paul Building And Its 108-Year History Deanne Zibell Weber nce towering over its neighbors the bank, appointed a three-man build Stevens is credited as the architect of at the comer of Fifth and ing committee to oversee a design com record, he was undoubtedly assisted by OWabasha in downtown St. Paul, petition for the new building, and evalu the “legendary” Harvey Ellis, a gifted the elegant Saint Paul Building, built in ate the preliminary architectural plans.3 artist and draftsman whom Stevens em 1889, is now nearly hidden amidst the “No less than eleven architects are ployed sporadically in the late 1880s. modem office buildings nearby. Yet a represented in the competition,” re Ellis was known locally for the exquis closer look at the structure’s fascinating ported the St. Paul & Minneapolis Pio ite pen-and-ink and charcoal drawings history not only reveals the unique per neer Press on April 29, 1888.4 The il he produced for some of the best- sonalities behind its various profes lustrious list of contributors featured known architects in the Twin Cities, in sional offices and retail establishments, some of the city’s best young architects, cluding Mould & McNicol and LeRoy but also provides a vivid snapshot of the including recent emigres Emil Ulrici, Buffington. His artistry was so brilliant, changes that have transformed the known for his fine houses; Albert in fact, that some architectural histori downtown commercial district. Placed Zschocke, who would go on to design ans have credited the Saint Paul Build on the National Register of Historic the “splendid” Hotel Barteau in 1889; ing (among others) wholly to Ellis.9 Places in 1977 and recently renovated and J. Walter Stevens, who already had The final product of their collabora to its nineteenth-century appearance, produced several elegant residences on tive effort was an eight-story brown- the Saint Paul Building stands as the prestigious Summit Avenue, utilitarian stone “skyscraper,” one of four tall of only surviving multi-story brownstone warehouses in the Lowertown area of fice buildings constructed in St. Paul in in downtown St. Paul and remains one St. Paul, and institutional structures 1889.10 Though buildings more than of the best commercial examples of such as the People’s Church (now gone) four stories in height had quickly be Richardsonian Romanesque architec and the Goodsell Observatory at Car- come the norm in Chicago and New ture in the Twin Cities.1 leton College in Northfield.5 York after the implementation of tech The Saint Paul Building was con The task of selecting a single design nological developments in fireproof structed during the late 1880s, an excit was not an easy one. “There is great va construction and elevator safety, these ing and prosperous time in St. Paul. riety, both in the style of architecture lofty structures only began to prolifer Waves of European immigrants had and in the estimated cost,” the newspa ate in the Twin Cities after 1880. The come to settle in the new transportation per noted, “and unless the directors Saint Paul Building also followed the hub of the Upper Midwest, courtesy of have already decided about the sort of popular and common style for all types James J. Hill’s Great Northern railway. building they want, they will have a of “modem” construction at this time, This rapidly growing population sparked high old time trying to reach a conclu Romanesque revival. It was also known an economic expansion and fueled an sion now.”6 At a special board meeting as Richardsonian Romanesque, after its unprecedented building boom in the on May 9,1888, the building committee early proponent, Henry Hobson Richard Twin Cities. reported that although none of the plans son. The Germania Bank, which had been was “exactly what we want___We be Many of the style’s characteristic el chartered in 1884 to serve some of these lieve the plan submitted by J. Walter ements have been incorporated into the new immigrants, was not immune to the Stevens to be the best, and the architect Saint Paul Building’s facade.11 The construction fever. In September, 1887, is of such known reputation as to war massive masonry courses of reddish- its directors approved the purchase of rant us in having full confidence in his brown sandstone, used here to give the property at the southwest comer of supervision of, and expediting the con building a weighty, permanent appear Wabasha and Fifth streets.2 This prime struction of the building.”7 ance, easily and quickly identify this as location was near the heart of the Stevens’s reputation was not built on a Richardsonian structure. Carved capi rapidly developing central retailing and any exceptional skill he had as a de tals top both the polygonal columns banking business district. Former Min signer; instead, it was due largely to the spanning the lower floors and the colon nesota governor and U.S. senator work of the draftsmen employed in his nettes separating the doubled and tripled Alexander Ramsey, then president of busy and talented office.8 Though round-headed windows on the upper 20 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY floors. Stevens and Ellis infused these pany, at the same time as the bank’s typical decorative elements with intri iron grilles.18 cate detailing that is reminiscent of The original tenants included physi Byzantine design. A less common but cians, lawyers, and other pro still distinguishing Richardsonian motif fessionals.19 The building’s first floor is the polychromatic checkerboard pat (street level) was reserved for retail en tern above the round-headed windows terprises and was separated into four or which pierce the sixth floor.