This stunning home is made even more so because of the contrasting colors of the black masard roof and the mostly white exterior.
Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure.
This style is not as common for local homes as the Queen Anne or the Tudor, but buildings in the style can be found in and around both downtowns. Another excellent example of the style is the Alexander Ramsey house on Exchange street near downtown St. Paul.
This home was the former location of the Kessler & Maguire Funeral Home during the late 1800s to early 1900s, just before the business relocated to it’s present day location on West 7th Street. The Kessler family then moved to a private home at 1001 Ashland Ave, about 4 blocks north of this home.