Our Family Stories

Kris and I have recently been kicked into ancestral high gear and as part of that wanted to go see the house where Minnie (Irma), our maternal grandmother, and Culla (her sister, our great aunt) grew up–4632 Emerson Avenue South in Minneapolis. So we went looking, with the  intention of getting a photo of it. But it turned into such a grand event! The owners, Bob and Ellis, graciously invited us in, and toured us from top (servant’s quarters) to basement. The home has beautiful woodwork and stained glass windows (possibly from Chicago). Most of the house is still original, e.g., floors, windows, woodwork, coal(?)-burning fireplace, ice-delivery box, big pantry, and (yikes!) knob and tube wiring. Kris commented that the elegance of the home reminded her of Culla.

 

Bob and Ellis were as eager to hear our stories as to tell us theirs. Peter and Kate (Katherine) Pauly built this home around 1906 – 1908. After their family was raised, Culla stayed on, caring for her parents until they died. She then sold the house in 1948 to the across-the-street neighbors, the Mogans, Ellis’s grandparents. Her grandmother however had wanted a more suburban home, so she painted all the dark woodwork a light color to match the walls. Later, when Ellis’s mom inherited the home, she restored all the considerable woodwork to its original dark color.

 

Ellis said that Fremont Ave South, one street closer to Lake Harriet, was the first street to be developed in that area and it was considered remote; two neighbors shared a cow! Also an old street car was set up on the corner (the end of the street car line) so people would have shelter while waiting.

 

This 100+ year-old house has only had two families. However, now that their family is grown, Bob and Ellis are thinking about selling. But they like the house so much they’ve considered hiring an architect to draw up plans to have a replica built outside the city. They also mentioned their family has a home on Casco Point, in the same area as Minnie (Irma) and Grampy’s (Elbridge) house. What happened there?