I am one of the Twin Cities' most unique social history museums. I offer superb exhibits , an historic mansion setting , and archival collections of priceless scholarly value. County historical societies have changed over the years. I, HHM, have evolved from the Hennepin County Territorial Pioneers Association in 1858 to the County Historical Society in 1938, to an award-winning history museum embracing a diverse range of cultures and social histories. I have been in my present location for 50 years now!I am proud of the fact that my district made it onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
The Washburn-Fair Oaks "Mansion" District is located in Minneapolis just south of downtown. Fair Oaks became a fashionable neighborhood for several generations of Minneapolitans because it was convenient to downtown yet separated by elevation from the working sections of the city. The neighborhood's grandest mansions were built by the first generation of Minneapolis business leaders from the 1850s to the 1880s. Unfortunately, only one of the houses from this era remains.Today the district consists of early 20th century homes of the second generation elite clustered around the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Fair Oaks Park and the First Christian Church which were built on the sites of the earlier mansions. Most of the houses are now used for commercial and institutional purposes.The architecture of the neighborhood showcases the work of some of Minneapolis' most prominent architects, including William Channing Whitney, Hewitt & Brown, and Ernest Kennedy. A wide range of period revival styles were popular during this period, and most of them are represented in the district.
Background from flickr user
