James L. Lawther House, 927 West 3rd Street, Red Wing, Minnesota
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James L. Lawther House | |
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| Address: | 927 3rd Street W |
| City/locality- State/province |
Red Wing, Minnesota |
| County- State/province: |
Goodhue County, Minnesota |
| State/province: | Minnesota |
| Country: | United States |
| Year built: | 1857 |
| Historic Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Current Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Material of Exterior Wall Covering: | Brick |
| National Register of Historic Places Information | |
| Reference Number: | 75000982 |
| Reference URL: | [Reference] |
| Certification date: | May 21, 1975 |
| Level of significance: | Local |
Octagonal brick house with cupola, built in 1857 for James L. Lawther, prominent civic leader and real estate dealer.
Lawther was born in Ireland and immigrated to the United States in his teens. He came to Red Wing in 1855 when he was 23 years old. He worked as a real estate agent, a banker, grain merchant, and property owner, and quickly built a reputation as a sound businessman and shrewd investor. He built a landmark octagon-shaped home in Red Wing that still stands today. He moved back to Ireland to spend the last 15 years of his life, but his connections to Minnesota were strong enough that when he died, Minnesota newspapers published his obituary.
James L. Lawther House — AKA “the Octagon House”. 927 west Third Street. Mr. Lawther first saw an impressive octagonal house in Dubuque, Iowa and it made such an impact on him he built his own octagonal house in Red Wing in 1857. Included among his chosen construction materials were local red brick with cut stone trim. According to "The Houses of Red Wing", "...The center stairwell was later removed to provide for the installation of fireplaces, and a new curved stairway was constructed along an outer wall. In 1870, a large wing which included a dining room, kitchen and servants' quarters was added to the rear of the house. The veranda, bracketed cornice, metal cresting at the roofline and cupola ornamentation were borrowed from the Italianate style and may have been added to the house at the same time. The octagonal style was never widely adopted. Its form was probably too unusual for most people to accept, although other examples are located nearby in Hastings and in Hudson, Wisconsin."
On National Register of Historic Places
Reference: "The Houses of Red Wing" by Carrie Conklin Becker. Page 31.
Reference: "The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota". Page 76== Memories and stories ==
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Related Links
[1] Red Wing walking tour
[2] Red Wing history
[3] Goodhue County historical society
[4] Wikipedia the James L. Lawther House
[5] Youtube Octagon House
Notes
Letter sent to James Lawther informing him he was elected Mayor of Red Wing
Red Wing Minn
Nov 13 1861
James Lawther, Esq.
Sir
At a special election held on the 12th day of November, A.D. 1861, in the City of Red Wing Goodhue County State of Minnesota. You were elected to fill the vacancy (Opening) in the office of mayor for said city of Red Wing. You will therefore appear and take and subscribe the necessary oath (Take the oath of office) within ten days from this date.
Witness my hand and the seal of said City the day and year above written.
P. Sandford City Clerk
