Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office
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The Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office from the northwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 430 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Hewitt and Brown |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000414 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 2012 |
The Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office is a historic building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was once the main office for a big insurance company. Today, it's a modern apartment building called 430 Oak Grove. The building was designed by Hewitt and Brown in a fancy style called Beaux-Arts. Because of its special design and history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
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About the Building's Design
This building faces Loring Park to the north. It is surrounded by homes, St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, and the Woman's Club of Minneapolis. The building is made with strong reinforced concrete. Its outside is covered with gray limestone and brick.
The front entrance is very grand and has a special look. It features a tall archway with columns on each side. This design makes the building look very important and impressive.
A Look Back: The Company's History
The Northwestern National Life Insurance Company started in 1885. It was first called the "Northwestern Aid Association." Later, in 1888, its name changed to the Northwestern Life Association.
In 1901, the company's president, William Frank Bechtel, combined two companies. This created the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company. It quickly became the second-largest life insurance company in the American Midwest. Only the Northwestern Mutual company in Milwaukee was bigger.
Building a Headquarters
In 1905, the company built its first headquarters. It was located at 11th and Nicollet in Minneapolis. This building also had an auditorium for public use. As the company grew, this building became too small.
In 1919, the company sold its old property. In 1920, they bought new land near Loring Park. This new spot would be perfect for a bigger office.
Designing the New Office
In 1922, the company decided to build its new headquarters. They chose the architecture firm of Hewitt & Brown. This firm had already designed two other buildings nearby. These included St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral.
The plans for the new building were approved in 1923. The land for the building had an unusual shape. The architect, Mr. Hewitt, saw this as an "interesting problem." He designed a special terrace and porch to solve this. This design also made the building look very grand.
Construction began on March 1, 1923. The building was finished the next year. Employees started moving in during January 1924. The move was fully completed by March 15, 1924.
Growing and Moving Again
The company grew even more after World War II. By 1946, the Loring Park office was completely full. So, they built an addition onto the building.
But the company kept expanding. By 1964, its employees were spread across five different locations. Meanwhile, other businesses were leaving downtown Minneapolis. The city was also changing parts of the Gateway District.
Northwestern National Life decided to build a brand new headquarters. This new building was in the Gateway District. It was designed by Minoru Yamasaki and opened in 1964.
The Building's New Life
After the company moved, the Loring Park building got a new name. In 1966, it became the "Loring Park Office Building." It was divided up to house many different businesses.
In 1977, something cool happened here. The famous musician Prince, who was from Minnesota, recorded some music in his manager's office. This office was on the first floor of the building. These recordings are known as The Loring Park Sessions. In 2017, a plaque was put up to remember this special event.
In 2011, a company called Kraus Anderson bought the building. They spent 20 million dollars to turn it into luxury apartments. These apartments opened in 2012.
See also
Images for kids
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The Northwestern National Life Insurance Company Home Office from the northwest
