Horace Hills Irvine House | |
 The Governor's Residence in 2015. | |
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 Interactive map showing the location of the Minnesota Governor’s Residence | |
| Location | 1006Summit Avenue,Saint Paul, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 44°56′27.7″N93°8′34.5″W / 44.941028°N 93.142917°W /44.941028; -93.142917 |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | William Channing Whitney |
| Part of | Historic Hill District (ID76001067) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001034[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 16, 1974 |
TheMinnesota Governor's Residence, informally referred to as theGovernor's Mansion, serves as theofficial home of the governor of theU.S. state ofMinnesota. The house, located at 1006Summit Avenue inSaint Paul, is on 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) of land. The building is slightly more than 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) in size.[2]
The house was designed byMinneapolis architectWilliam Channing Whitney for Saint Paullumber businessman Horace Hills Irvine and his family. The 20-roomEnglish Tudor house has nine bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and nine fireplaces. The Irvine family lived in the home from 1912 until 1965, when the Irvines' youngest daughters, Clotilde Irvine Moles andOlivia Irvine Dodge, donated it to the people ofMinnesota to serve as the official residence of the First Family.[citation needed]
TheMinnesota Legislature in 1965 passed a law accepting the donation and designating the house as theState Ceremonial Building for official public use for state ceremonial functions and as a governor's residence. The law placed the house and its management under the jurisdiction of theMinnesota Department of Administration. From 1965 until 1980, governors were permitted to propose changes to the house. The Legislature provided renovation funds and the Department of Administration supervised the improvements. From 1965 to 1967, a committee assisted with furnishing the house, but the governor retained the authority to make changes.[citation needed]
In 1974, the house was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. With this designation, any renovation to the exterior of the residence must be reviewed and approved by theState Historic Preservation Office of theMinnesota Historical Society. It is also acontributing property to theHistoric Hill District.[3]
Every year, a forester from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources selects a giant Christmas tree, harvested from a Minnesota State Forest, often from nearPine City, to adorn the front lawn during the holiday season.[4][5]
In 1980, in an effort to establish more consistent management for the house, the Legislature authorized the State Ceremonial Building Council. In 1983, the name was changed to the Governor's Residence Council.[citation needed]
The council has 19 members: the Commissioner of Administration, the governor's spouse, the executive director of the Arts Board, the director of theMinnesota Historical Society, one member each from theMinnesota House of Representatives and theMinnesota Senate, and 13 members appointed by the governor. The council develops restoration plans, approves alterations, and solicits contributions for improvements or furnishings for public areas of the building.[citation needed]
There are five staff members at the mansion: a manager, an assistant manager, achef, a housekeeper, and a groundskeeper. At times during the summer, Minnesota Historical Society offers tours free of charge to the public.[citation needed]
Starting in 2023, the Summit Avenue mansion had undergone upgrades to improve security features and to update electrical, plumbing and foundation systems. The project was due to cost about $13 million funded by taxpayers.[citation needed]
Every year, the Residence hands out candy on Halloween.[6]
