August Tours
Church Week: Wesley United Methodist
When: Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Guide: Robert C. Mack
Starting point: Wesley United Church at 101 E Grant St
Cost: $8
Buy tickets at Eventbrite
Located adjacent to the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, Wesley United Methodist Church was built in 1891. Designed by Warren Howard Hayes and recognized as one of the finest and best-preserved buildings by this prominent ecclesiastical architect, Wesley was nevertheless added to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota’s annual list of “Most Endangered Historic Places” in 2010. Bob Mack, who has been working on the building for over 25 years, will take you on a rare excursion inside the building, including the attic area and its outstanding examples of late 19th-century building technology—both structural systems and heating/cooling systems.
South Lake Harriet Parks and Homes
When: Monday, August 5, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Guide: Peter Sussman
Starting point: Lake Harriet Parkway and Morgan Avenue South (south side of the Lake Harriet)
Cost: $8
Buy tickets on Eventbrite
Early Lake Harriet-area resident Peter Sutherland watched as the Park Board encircled the lake with a public boulevard in 1885-86. The grand park he had envisioned for his property would give way instead, decades later, to a busy and dense neighborhood. Hear about this fascinating history and view an eclectic assortment of lakeside and inland houses between Penn and Knox Avenues built from the early to late 20th century. Co-sponsored by the Linden Hills History Study Group and the Lynnhurst Neighborhood Association.
This tour will walk about 1 mile and is not ADA-accessible.
The Architectural Necklace: Homes Along Lake of the Isles
When: Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Guide: Bob Roscoe
Starting point: West 25th Street and East Lake of the Isles Parkway (east side of the lake)
Cost: $8
Buy tickets on Eventbrite
The winding eastern shoreline of Lake of the Isles displays some of Minneapolis’ most splendid residential architecture, exemplifying design talents of several of the region’s influential architects and influencing both Minneapolis’ social patterns and its architectural patterns. Early 20th-century residences by Edwin Lundie, William Kenyon, and Purcell and Elmslie rest alongside the later-to-come Liebenberg and Kaplan. Join preservationist Bob Roscoe as he guides us along this architectural necklace.
This tour walks approximately 10 blocks.
North Side Synagogues and Neighborhood Walking Tour
When: Sunday, August 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Guides: Iric Nathanson and Bob Roscoe
Starting point: Mikro Kodesh Synagogue, at 1000 North Oliver Avenue
Cost: $8
Buy tickets at Eventbrite
By 1936, there were more than 16,000 Jews in Minneapolis, and 70 percent of them lived on the North Side. Community members lived, learned, prayed, and shopped together. We will highlight the history and architecture of the gathering places of north Minneapolis’ Jewish community in the early- and mid-20th century, including a neighborhood with three synagogues, the Emmanuel Cohen Community Center, and the Jewish Shelter Home for Children.
Fort Snelling Upper Post
When: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Guide: Chuck Liddy
Starting point: Fort Snelling Clock Tower Building on Colville Avenue (see map on Eventbrite ticket page)
Cost: $8
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Fort Snelling is often called the “Birthplace of Minnesota.” Built between 1820 and 1825, the fort stood empty from 1858-1861 but was pressed back into service during the Civil War and also served as a staging point for military campaigns against Indian tribes. After World War II, the Fort was decommissioned and turned over to the Veterans Administration. Historic architect Chuck Liddy, FAIA, has been involved in the efforts to save and reuse the buildings at the Upper Post for 20 years.
This tour walks the equivalent of about 4-5 city blocks.
Historic Park Avenue Part I: The Mansion District
Age of Opulence Along the Minneapolis Golden Mile
When: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 6:00 PM
Guide: Ryan Knoke
Starting point: Building Lobby at 2615 Park Avenue South
Cost: $8
Buy tickets at Eventbrite
At the turn of the last century Park Avenue ranked as one of Minneapolis’s most prestigious residential streets. The city’s elite commissioned top architects to design 35 of the city’s most opulent mansions along the 10-block“Golden Mile” between 18th and 28th Streets. By the end of the 1960s, “urban renewal” in the form of demolition had claimed 27 of them. Experience the remaining eight mansions up close—including some interiors—and discover those that were lost through photographs and information about their famous first occupants.
This tour will walk about 10-12 city blocks.
Sign up for Historic Park Avenue, Part II on the September Tours page.