A VINTAGE CHRISTMAS IN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA

Happy New Year to everyone and thanks for reading my blog. Life is a journey that keeps getting better and I'm expecting a lot of good things for 2019.

We spent the last week of 2018 in the rather chilly and historic city of Saint Paul, MN. The temperatures did not go below zero, our flights were on time, and there were no blizzards—I guess you could say we were lucky. Most important, the warmth and love of being with family and friends made for a wonderful week.

We were among the very first to stay at a newly opened Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown Saint Paul and the first to occupy the room we stayed in. The neighborhood is just west of downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota and is home to 100s of charming historic homes, wonderful restaurants, bars, and antique shops.

Irvine Park, St. Paul, MN

We walked through the nearby Irvine Park area one morning—being careful not to slip on the ice which was worse than usual because of a rainstorm. The carefully restored historic homes surround a New England-style public square and date back to the 1850s. Except for one dog walker, everything was quiet on this cold winter day.

In the early 1970s, the city planned to tear down most of the old historic homes in this area and replace them with high-rise apartments. Fortunately, the plans changed and the neighborhood became a National Register Historic District in 1973 and was named a Saint Paul Heritage Preservation District in 1982.

Here are some pictures of the lovely historic homes of Saint Paul that were taken by a photographer with cold hands:

Alexander Ramsey House

        The Alexander Ramsey House, built in 1872, was the residence of Alexander Ramsey, the first governor of Minnesota Territory and the second governor of the state of Minnesota. The Victorian home, built with limestone, is open to the public as a museum.

John McDonald House

The John McDonald House is an Italianate design from 1873. It was moved from its original location on Smith Avenue in 1978.

Waldmann Brewery

    The Waldmann Brewery, a former German lager saloon, is located in the oldest surviving commercial building in the Twin Cities. Built in 1857, it was reopened as a brewery in 2017, featuring "Wurst & Beer" in the old German style. We began our Christmas celebration here, it is one of my son's favorite restaurants.

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Related Posts: Victorian Homes Of Summit Ave, Saint Paul, MN - August 28, 2016

                        Vintage Journey to North Minneapolis, MN, Camden  - August 14, 2016

Historic Homes in Saint Paul, MN