Rensselaer D. Hubbard House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rensselaer D. Hubbard House
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 606 S. Broad Street, Mankato, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Barnard, Silas |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Blue Earth County MRA (AD) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001047 |
| Added to NRHP | June 07, 1976 |
The Rensselaer D. Hubbard House, also known as the Hubbard House, is a special old house in Mankato, Minnesota. It was built in 1871 and had 16 rooms. Today, it is a museum where you can learn about life long ago.
This house was very modern for its time. It was the first private home in Mankato to have indoor plumbing, electricity, and even a telephone! Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1976. It was designed by Silas Barnard in the fancy Second Empire style.
Contents
Who Was Rensselaer D. Hubbard?
Hubbard's Early Life and Adventures
Rensselaer D. Hubbard was born in Oswego County, New York, on December 14, 1837. His family were farmers. When he was 15, he left home to work on a survey crew for a railroad. This job helped him learn about land and building.
In 1851, he moved to California and worked on a farm. Later, from 1857 to 1858, he tried gold mining in Nevada and British Columbia, Canada. He then returned to New York in 1859. There, he started working as a clerk in a grocery store. He was very good at his job and quickly became a manager.
Hubbard's Business Success
During the Civil War, Hubbard tried to join the army in 1863. However, he became very sick with pneumonia and could not serve. After that, he farmed tobacco for a few years. He also got married to Mary Esther Cook.
In 1866, he moved to Corry, Pennsylvania, and started a grocery business again. He was very successful, turning a small amount of money into a large profit in just four years. In 1870, he moved back to California, hoping to start a bank. But the economy was not good, so he decided to move to Mankato.
Building a Business Empire in Mankato
In Mankato, Hubbard first built a warehouse and worked in the wheat business. In 1872, he helped start the Mankato Linseed Oil Company. He managed this company for 11 years, and it became very successful.
In 1878, he started the Mankato Milling Company. This company became a huge flour milling business. It changed its name several times, eventually becoming the Hubbard Milling Company in 1897. With his partner George Palmer, Hubbard built 42 grain elevators across Minnesota and South Dakota. The Hubbard Milling Company grew to include livestock feed and pet food. Today, it is part of a Canadian company called Ridley.
Hubbard's first wife passed away in 1877. He remarried in 1878 to Frank Griffith. They had two daughters. His youngest daughter, Mary Ester Hubbard, later sold the family home to the Blue Earth County Historical Society in 1938.
The Hubbard House: A Grand Home
Design and Features of the House
The Hubbard House is located on South Broad Street. This area was once known as Mankato's "silk stocking district." It had many large, fancy homes from the Victorian era.
The Hubbard House was built on a strong stone basement. It used brick and wood, with special Mankato stone for details. The house was built in two parts. The main part, built in 1871, has two and a half stories and a unique mansard roof made of colorful slate. In 1888, a smaller, one-and-a-half-story section was added. This part was built in the Italianate style. The front of the house has a porch with tall, classic Ionic columns.
A Friendly Rivalry and Restoration
In 1897, a judge named Loren Cray built a big house right next to the Hubbard House. For several years, the two owners tried to outdo each other by adding new features to their homes. Both houses are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hubbard House was fully redecorated in 1905. Members of the Hubbard family lived in the house and made changes until 1938.
The House as a Museum
After the Blue Earth County Historical Society bought the house in 1938, they gave it to the City of Mankato. The city helped pay for its upkeep, and the society used it as a museum. From 1938 to 1988, the house held exhibits, stored old items, and had offices.
In 1977, a two-story brick Queen Anne Style carriage house (where horses and carriages were kept) was moved to the property. It was built in 1890.
When the Historical Society moved to a new building, they decided to restore the Hubbard House. They wanted it to look just like it did in 1905, so visitors could see how the Hubbard family lived. In May 2009, the twenty-year restoration project was finished. This project brought the house back to its 1905 look, including fixing the main porch and 56 wooden storm windows. Money for the project came from the Minnesota Historical Society, the City of Mankato, and private donations.
Inside the Hubbard House
Modern Features for Its Time
The Hubbard House has 16 rooms. The Hubbards wanted their home to be both beautiful and useful. When the first part of the house was built in 1871, it had a central heating system (a furnace). It also had four bathrooms, which was very unusual for homes in that area back then.
As mentioned, it was one of the first homes in Mankato with indoor plumbing, a telephone, and electricity. Rensselaer Hubbard wasn't sure if electricity would become common. So, he had lights installed that could work with both gas and electrical power.
Elegant Decorations and Materials
The three fireplaces on the first floor are made of beautiful marble from places like Georgia, Spain, and Italy. One even has shiny Brazilian onyx. The library walls were covered in soft cotton. The parlor (a formal living room) had fancy silk damask wall coverings imported all the way from Paris.
The grand staircase is made of strong oak wood. It was added during the 1888 expansion, replacing an older iron spiral staircase. A beautiful Tiffany chandelier hangs above the dining room table, adding a touch of elegance.
Visiting the Hubbard House Today
The Hubbard House is now a museum run by the Blue Earth County Historical Society. You can visit it for a fee. About a quarter of the furniture in the house belonged to the Hubbard family. Other old furniture was given by people who support the museum. Many of the wall papers have been replaced with copies that look just like the originals.
Fourteen of the original rooms are open for visitors to explore. The carriage house now shows old horse-drawn vehicles, antique cars, and even a 1916 fire engine. Outside, the gardens around the house are kept beautiful by a group of volunteers called the Twilight Garden Club.
Images for kids
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The Rensselaer D. Hubbard House in Mankato, Minnesota.
See also
In Spanish: Casa de Rensselaer D. Hubbard para niños
