Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House
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The Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House from the southeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 410 N. Cedar Street, Belle Plaine, Minnesota |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | Circa 1871 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| MPS | Scott County MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002160 |
| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1980 |
The Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House is a special old house in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. It's now a historic house museum, which means it's a house kept like it was in the past for people to visit. The first part of the house was built around 1871. Later, a unique addition was built in the late 1880s. This addition includes a two-story outhouse connected to the house by a skyway (a covered walkway in the air).
This house is important because it shows how people lived and built homes in the 1800s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This list recognizes places that are important to American history. The house is known for its architecture and for being owned by two important local businessmen.
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About the House
The Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House is a two-story building made of wood. It has white clapboard siding, which are long, thin boards that overlap. The first part of the house looks like a simple version of Italianate architecture. This style often has a boxy shape, a flat-looking roof, and tall, narrow windows.
Special Features
On the south side of the house, there's a large bay window on the first floor. A bay window sticks out from the main wall of the house. Soon after the house was first built, a smaller wing was added to the north. A long porch was also built along the east side, connecting the old and new parts.
The Two-Story Outhouse
A very interesting part of the house is the two-story outhouse. It was built in the late 1880s on the west side of the house. This outhouse has two toilet seats on the first floor and three on the second floor. A short, covered walkway called a skyway connects the second floor of the outhouse to the house. This was very unusual for the time! Waste from the upper level would fall behind a hidden wall on the lower level.
Other Cool Things
Inside the house, you can see a water well pump in the kitchen. There's also a wood-burning stove that was used for cooking and heating. Outside, on the front lawn, there's a large "carriage stone." This stone was used as a step to help people get into or out of carriages.
The property also has other old buildings. There's a wood shed where coal and wood were stored for the stoves. There's also a brick smokehouse, which was used to smoke and preserve meat. You might even see a "courting chair" inside. This special chair allowed young couples to sit back-to-back, giving them some privacy while still being in the same room.
House History
The first person to own the house was Commodore Sandford A. Hooper. He lived there from about 1871 until 1883. Mr. Hooper was one of the first settlers in Belle Plaine. He was a successful businessman and was often mentioned in local newspapers.
New Owners and Changes
In 1886, Samuel Bowler bought the house. He was a very important person in Belle Plaine. He helped start the State Bank of Belle Plaine and owned a lumber yard. Mr. Bowler had a large family, so he made many changes to the house. He added the west wing, a new kitchen, and a "buttery" (a cool room for storing food). He also added a special copper-lined bathtub.
Mr. Bowler also built the famous two-story outhouse. This was not just for his large family, but it also showed how wealthy and important his family was. In 1901, the Bowlers moved away, and Alfred Hillstrom and his family bought the house.
Becoming a Museum
The Hillstrom family lived in the house until 1975. After that, the Belle Plaine Historical Society bought the house. They worked hard to restore it, making it look like it did in the past.
Visiting the Museum
Today, the city of Belle Plaine owns the Hooper–Bowler–Hillstrom House. It's located in Court Square Park. The Belle Plaine Historic Society takes care of the museum.
When you visit, you can explore different rooms in the house. Each room is set up to show what life was like during different time periods. Some rooms look like the 1850s and 1860s, others show the Victorian era, and some show the early 1900s. You can also see local history items on display in the old carriage house. And yes, you can see the unique two-story outhouse, but it's not for public use anymore!
See also
