I recently reread (listened) The Great Gatsby, as we all know wrote by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This led my thoughts to Saint Paul and my former community. Fitzgerald was born in Saint Paul where his family lived in this property in the Hill District, which starts on the bluffs of the Mississippi River and continues for a few miles west.
This is on the eastern end, I lived closer to the western end. James J. Hill had a "home" right on Summit Avenue, on the bluff looking down to the city. Hill was a robber baron of the railroad form.
Fitzgerald moved to this townhouse on Summit with his wife, Zelda, in the 1920s, where he wrote Gatsby, The plaque in front indicates which was their home.
Another Minnesotan was Sinclair Lewis, not T.S Lewis, brain fog. He was born in Sauk Center, Minnesota, which is North Central, I think. I went there often enough for a horse show, so I really should know for sure. This was his home on Summit, not too far west of the Fitzgerald row house. This home was somewhere along the way given the name of The Lemon Meringue House.
Summit Avenue is several miles long and it and the blocks to the south and north is a historic district. The governor's mansion is on Summit, kitty-corner to my former house, one block north on Portland Avenue.
A brief tour of my hometown and the area where I lived for thirteen years. As I have aged I find I miss it every-once-in- awhile.
My former home.
Image taken from Zillow.
** Added as an afterthought
James J. Hill Mansion**
28 comments:
What a great post. History, literature, architecture, geography, only missing the writers' favorite foods! I wonder if that's known.
Wonderful post. I love the architecture of the buildings in these photos.
I don't know about the food, Boud. Now I must see if there is any info on that! I did add photos of the James J Hill mansion as an afterthought.
There are many grand homes in the area, Linda.
Sometimes I wonder what people do in those mansions. Do they roam around inside marvelling at their good fortune?
This particular mansion is part of the Historical Society, AC. There are plenty of them that are privately owned. I think they wander about wondering how to increase their fortune.
Oh wow, these are beautiful buildings and an interesting history of these famous people. Very much enjoyed! Thanks Sandra :)
I sure wish I could take a tour with you of this area and the wonderful homes here.
The reason being, ...my dad as a 12 year old worked in this area delivering 'illegal' booze during the Prohibition Era from a Speakeasy to the wealthy.
He has so many stories of how so many ignored a kid walking down the street with a baby carriage and a doll inside of it...booze underneath.
Or when he delivered to mansion with his little red wagon and was fed in the kitchen by the staff.
Wow.
Thanks for this.
The homes are incredible, just like dad had described to me. I'm overwhelmed.
I've never read The Great Gatsby.
Wow - what lovely, lovely homes!!
Thank you for the tour!
Whoa! That is some fabulous architecture! Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome, Denise!
St. Paul was, notoriously, a safe haven for Chicago gangsters, Val. John Dillinger stayed in a house in my grandmothers neighborhood when he came up here for rest. Everyone knew it, there was an agreement between the police and the mobsters that they would be peaceful and the cops would turn a blind eye. It makes sense your dad delivered bootleg to the very wealthy in the area! This is a great family story you have. A boy strolling along Summit witha little red wagon full of booze, priceless!
It's about money and power, relevant at the moment.
The Saintly City had a great deal of monied people, Miss Merry.
You are welcome, Miss Merry.
The Golden Age, Lori.
So many spectacular buildings! Fitzgerald's house is wonderful, with those eye-catching balconies.
They are beautiful, nick. It was the golden age. For some.
Oh I like the Lemon Meringue house all those windows! It would be fun to tour those homes:)
There used to be an annual tour of the private residences, I would think there still is. The J.J. Hill residence has tours.
Neat to see your former home. Love that second and third shot. Stunning building.
In my older years I find myself missing, in a nostalgic way, that house and neighborhood, Ivy.
They don't build 'em like that anymore, a pity, I LOVE Historic Homes and miss ours so much. Yes, I do Love this Mini Farm Property we live in now too, but my Heart is with Historic Architecture and sadly Phoenix didn't preserve nearly enough of it's Architectural History.
I understand that. I still miss where I lived last and at night, it pops up in some of my dreams. That said, I would not want to live there now. It was though, a good place when I was there. If that makes sense.
It is a beautiful area, Dawn.
I know what you mean, Ivy. The area was quaint when we lived there. Grand Ave has become highly commercialized. The small businesses are gone and huge condo buildings have sprouted.
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