Summit Avenue: A Journey Through Time and Architecture in St. Paul

Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, stands as a testament to the city's rich history and architectural heritage. Renowned as the longest avenue of Victorian homes in the United States, this iconic street stretches four and a half miles westward from just west of downtown Saint Paul to the Mississippi River, marking the boundary between Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Unlike similar streets like Prairie Avenue in Chicago, Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, and Fifth Avenue in New York City, Summit Avenue has remarkably preserved its historic character and diverse architectural styles.

A Historic District of Grandeur

Summit Avenue is not just a street; it's a designated historic district, reflecting its significance in American history and architecture. It is part of two National Historic Districts and two City of Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Districts. The Cathedral of Saint Paul majestically overlooks the mansions on the eastern end of Summit Avenue, contributing to the avenue's grandeur. The historic district follows an irregular pattern from Pleasant and Grand Avenues to Holly and Marshall Avenues, and from Lexington Parkway to 4th and Pleasant Streets in Saint Paul.

The Genesis of Summit Avenue

The history of Summit Avenue traces back to the early 1850s, during Saint Paul's formative years. Mansions began to grace the hilltop in the city's earliest days. An 1859 photograph captured by Joel Whitney depicts six houses along the avenue. Edward Duffield Neill owned the first house on Summit Avenue, which was located where the James J. Hill House now stands. Progressing westward, the photo showcases the residences of William and Angelina Noble, Henry F. Masterson, Henry Mower Rice, Henry Neill Paul, and David Stuart.

Development experienced a lull during the American Civil War and its aftermath, but the district experienced a resurgence in the 1880s. The introduction of city water service in 1884 and the construction of a cable car line on Selby Avenue in 1887 enhanced accessibility to downtown, spurring further growth.

Decline and Revival

The 1930s marked a period of decline for Summit Avenue, as many of the grand mansions were converted into rooming houses or left vacant. However, the area was spared from widespread commercial development due to the bluffs separating it from downtown Saint Paul. The demolition of the Amherst H. Wilder mansion in 1959 was the last major loss of a historic house on the avenue.

A revitalization began in the 1960s and 1970s, with young couples recognizing the affordability and restoration potential of the Victorian homes. This renewed interest breathed new life into the historic district.

Originally, Summit Avenue commenced at North Robert Street, but a significant portion in the Capitol Heights area was removed to accommodate the expansion of the State Capitol Mall and the construction of Interstate 94.

Architectural Styles Along Summit Avenue

Summit Avenue showcases a diverse array of architectural styles, reflecting the evolving tastes and preferences of the city's elite.

Italian Villa Style

The earliest residences on Summit Avenue were primarily constructed in the "Italian Villa" style, also known as "Italianate." Popular in the 1860s and 1870s, this style was part of the picturesque movement, which rejected the widespread use of classical forms in architecture. Italianate buildings drew inspiration from medieval farmhouses in the Italian countryside.

Key characteristics of this style include low-pitched roofs often adorned with cupolas, eaves decorated with brackets, and round-headed windows with decorative moldings. Most Italianate buildings also feature a square tower and an irregular, asymmetrical shape.

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Edward Duffield Neill's house, the first residence on the bluff overlooking Saint Paul, was built in this style. The 1863 Emerson House at 378 Summit, with its limestone walls and ornate window hoods, also exemplified this style. The Cutler House at 360 Summit, originally constructed in 1875, initially featured brick-veneered walls, a three-story tower, and a mansard roof in the Italian Villa style before being updated to the Queen Anne style.

Second Empire Style

Another popular style in the early years was the opulent Second Empire style, named after the reign of Napoleon III of France (1852-1870). This style, inspired by Parisian buildings, closely resembled the Italianate style but with a distinct roof style. The defining characteristic was the pyramidal mansard roof, inspired by the designs of 17th-century French architect François Mansart.

The Kittson Mansion, which once stood on the site of the current Cathedral of Saint Paul, was a notable example of the Second Empire style.

Queen Anne Style

Following the Italianate style, the Queen Anne style gained popularity on Summit Avenue. Despite its name, it bears little resemblance to early 18th-century British architecture. Instead, this style is characterized by columns and pediments, peaked, high-pitched roofs, and abundant decorative elements such as dormer windows, gables, bays, porches, balconies, and turrets. A wraparound porch and a round or polygonal corner tower extending from the spire-like roof are also common features.

Queen Anne houses were constructed using a variety of materials, including stone, slate, brick, wood, shingles, and half-timbering. The lost 1882 Barnum House showcased a transition from the Italianate style to Queen Anne, incorporating elements of both.

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Many houses on Summit Avenue were built purely in the Queen Anne style, such as the castle-like red brick Driscoll House with its conical turret and high-pitched roof adorned with dormers and chimneys. The wooden "fairytale" residence at 513 Summit, featuring a large porch and a fanciful turret, is another example. The Shipman-Greve House at 445 Summit, a unique limestone house with half-timbering and Japanese-inspired latticework on the porch, is one of the best-preserved Queen Anne style houses on the avenue. A variant of the Queen Anne style, known as the "Shingle Style," can be seen in Summit's 1884 Noyes House.

Romanesque Revival Style

The "Romanesque Revival" was another prevalent architectural style on Summit Avenue. Buildings in this style were typically constructed of brick or stone, often roughly finished, and were massive in scale. The James J. Hill House, the largest and most well-known house on Summit Avenue, exemplifies this style.

Built in 1891 for railroad magnate James J. Hill, the house reflects the distinctive work of architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Richardson's style, while historically inspired, was versatile and emphasized utilitarianism, coherence, and simplicity. The Hill House showcases common features of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, such as rough red sandstone masonry, heavy round arches, and a slate roof, all built on a massive scale. However, it also incorporates delicate elements like skylights and Tiffany stained-glass windows, creating an interesting contrast. The Wilder Mansion, which once stood at 226 Summit, could also be classified as Romanesque Revival in style, although it differed in appearance from the Hill House.

Beaux-Arts Style

At the turn of the century, those who built homes on Summit Avenue sought to project a sense of culture and embraced the Beaux-Arts style, drawing inspiration from European architecture. The Italian Renaissance palazzo style was a popular choice, as seen in the 1894 Scott residence at 340 Summit, which resembles a Renaissance palace.

The Davidson House at 344 Summit, based on Elizabethan English manor houses, is another example of the Beaux-Arts style on Summit Avenue. This design adapts the European tradition to suit a modern construction rather than simply copying a 16th-century building. Perhaps the most prominent example of the Beaux-Arts style on Summit Avenue is the Cathedral of Saint Paul. Designed by Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, a former student at the École des Beaux-Arts, the Cathedral's design was modeled after the baroque St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and follows the traditional Greek Cross floor plan with baroque-inspired flourishes.

Georgian and Tudor Styles

In addition to houses inspired by classical and medieval buildings, Summit Avenue also featured residences that drew on historically English styles such as the Georgian and Tudor. Georgian revival houses drew inspiration from 18th-century English architecture and were characterized by red brick two-story symmetrical facades, with equal numbers of windows on each side and flat roofs decorated with balustrades.

The Boeckman House at 366 Summit, featuring eight decorated chimneys, decorative cornices, a steeply pitched slate roof, and an entrance pavilion with a segmental arch, is an example of the Georgian style. The former house of James J. Hill's son, Louis Hill, also reflects this style, distinguished by a classical style portico on its front facade with Ionic columns and decorative carvings reminiscent of neoclassicism.

On Summit Avenue, houses constructed in the Tudor style were not simply replicas of historical buildings but modern buildings featuring Tudor elements. These often included decorative half-timbering, gables, prominent chimneys, patterned brickwork, and medieval-inspired steeply pitched roofs. The 1909 Lindeke House at 345 Summit was one of the first houses to be built in the Tudor Villa style on Summit Avenue.

Rectilinear Style

While other houses continued to draw inspiration from history, the Rectilinear Style, a comparatively more modern style, also took root on Summit Avenue. This style shifted away from previous irregular and fantastical forms toward a more rectangular shape. Houses of this style often feature elements such as overhanging eaves and casement windows but have little applied ornamentation and are relatively unpretentious.

The Dittenhofer house at 705 Summit exhibits a move toward the Rectilinear style in its symmetry and blockish shape but retains historic elements such as Gothic-like arched windows that were once fitted with stained glass. The 1912 Dr. Ward Beebe House is much simpler and thoroughly unpretentious, appearing almost insignificant compared to the other grand houses on the avenue.

The University Club of St. Paul

Perched high on Summit Hill, the University Club of Saint Paul is a Tudor-Style private club built in 1913. Offering panoramic views of downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River Valley, the University Club is one of Saint Paul's most treasured historical icons. For more than a century, the club has provided the backdrop for events in the Twin Cities.

Summit Overlook Park

In 1873, Horace W.S. Cleveland, the landscape architect responsible for much of the design of the Twin Cities’ original park system, declared his intention to designate a lot on Summit Avenue for the public. This led to the creation of Summit Overlook Park, a .43 acre lot at the corner of Summit Avenue and Ramsey Street.

Today, Summit Overlook Park remains an ode to Summit Avenue’s museum-like nature. The New York Life Eagle, a bronze sculpture originally built in 1889, serves as a focal point in the park. The park's redesign in 2004, a collaboration between Public Art Saint Paul and the Ramsey Hill Neighborhood Association, accommodated the relocation of the New York Life Eagle.

While the park is city-owned, it is maintained primarily by the Ramsey Hill Association and its volunteer gardeners. The park's layout allows for privacy, with seating options ranging from secluded spots under a willow tree to a communal lawn. The park's lack of commercial activity and proximity to private residences contribute to its intimate feel.

Summit Overlook Park attempts to balance a public-private partnership in a neighborhood rooted in wealth and preservation. The park feels communal and safe, with no visible surveillance, no park hours, and a design cognizant of diverse mobility requirements. It serves a function primarily to those in the Summit and Ramsey Hill neighborhoods, making public a view of downtown Saint Paul and the river valley that has been privatized by the avenue’s many private residences.

Summit Avenue in Literature and Culture

Summit Avenue has also been a source of inspiration for writers and artists. F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of America's most celebrated authors, spent his formative years on Summit Avenue, drawing inspiration from the opulent surroundings and the lives of the wealthy residents. Coco Irvine Moles (1914-1975) grew up at 1006 Summit in a wide Tudor-style brick manor. Her 1927 diary provides a glimpse into the life of a mischievous teenager living in a mansion on Summit Avenue during the roaring twenties.

Preservation Efforts

The preservation of Summit Avenue's historic character is an ongoing effort. Old-house lovers have taken on massive projects to restore and maintain the mansions. The area's designation as a Heritage Preservation District has also played a crucial role in protecting its architectural heritage.

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