F. Scott Fitzgerald House facts for kids
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F. Scott Fitzgerald House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The F. Scott Fitzgerald House, one unit of a rowhouse
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 599 Summit Avenue Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | William H. Willcox and Clarence H. Johnston Sr. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Part of | Historic Hill District (ID76001067) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000440 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
The F. Scott Fitzgerald House, also known as Summit Terrace, is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is part of a larger building called a rowhouse, which is a group of homes built right next to each other, sharing walls. This specific house is famous because the well-known author F. Scott Fitzgerald once lived here. It is officially recognized as a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's a very important historic place in the United States.
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Discovering the Fitzgerald House
The F. Scott Fitzgerald House was built in 1889. It was designed by architects William H. Willcox and Clarence H. Johnston Sr.. The rowhouse was built in a special way called the "New York Style." This meant each home in the row looked a little different, like rowhouses you might see in big cities back east.
What Does the House Look Like?
This house is made of brownstone, a type of reddish-brown sandstone. It has a unique design with a rounded, two-story window section on one side. The main entrance is set back under a round arch. The roof has a special shape called a mansard roof, and it features a decorative gable with two more round-arch windows. An architecture expert named Larry Millett said it combines many Victorian styles, but mostly looks like Romanesque Revival architecture.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's Time at the House
F. Scott Fitzgerald's parents, Edward and Mollie, moved to Saint Paul in 1914. Fitzgerald was a student at Princeton University at the time. They first lived at 593 Summit Avenue, then moved to the 599 Summit Avenue unit in 1918.
A Famous Book Was Born Here
In the summer of 1919, Fitzgerald was living in this house. During July and August, he worked hard rewriting a story that became his very first novel, This Side of Paradise. This book helped make him a famous writer. He continued to live here and write short stories until January 1920, when he moved to New Orleans. This house is considered one of the most important places where Fitzgerald lived, especially because it's where his writing career truly began.
A Recognized Historic Landmark
Because of its connection to F. Scott Fitzgerald and his important work, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971. This means it's a place of great national historical importance. It is also part of a larger historic area called the Historic Hill District, which was listed as a historic place in 1976.
What Fitzgerald Thought of Summit Avenue
Even though he lived on Summit Avenue, F. Scott Fitzgerald wasn't always a fan of the street. He once famously said that Summit Avenue was "a mausoleum of American architectural monstrosities." A "mausoleum" is a large tomb, so he meant the buildings looked old and gloomy to him.
