2018 HOLIDAY MANSIONS PART TWO

This year my friend Todd and I visited the Alexander Ramsey House to see it decorated for the Holidays. The mansion and its residents play a large part in the history of the Twin Cities.

 Ramsey, a well connected politician on the national level, began his affiliation with Minnesota in 1849 when he became the first Territorial Governor of Minnesota. He would soon after be elected Mayor of St. Paul, MN and eventually go on to become the second Governor of the State of Minnesota. In 1863 Ramsey resigned the governorship to become a U.S. Senator.

The Carriage house now houses the gift shop.

The Ramsey House was built in 1868, and is a wonderful example Second Empire architecture. The home stayed in the family, and in 1964 Ramsey’s granddaughter left the house and its original contents to the Minnesota Historical Society which operates it as a museum. The Victorian Christmas tour is a favorite each year, giving a glimpse into Christmas celebrations in the late 1800’s.

The Ramsey family tree.

While no indoor photos are allowed, these outdoor photos show off the beauty of this important, historical home.

2018 HOLIDAY MANSIONS PART ONE

There are certain holiday traditions I celebrate each year that are very important to me, most of which have been carried forward from my childhood. However, when I moved to Minneapolis several years ago, I discovered several new events that have joined my childhood rituals to create the wonderful traditions I celebrate today.

One of the events that kicks off my holiday season is the Christmas party at 300 Clifton. Every year, this gorgeous restored Georgian mansion hosts the event as a fundraiser for Citizens For A Loring Park Community (CLPC). 

CLPC’s mission is to “Cultivate continuing leadership and help a diverse neighborhood realize a more harmonious, thriving, and beautiful community.” Nowhere else is that witnessed better than at 300 Clifton.

300 Clifton is a bed and breakfast housed, in the historic Eugene Carpenter mansion. This stately home began its life in the late 1800’s as a lovely Queen Ann styled Victorian home. When Carpenters purchased the home in 1905, they made the decision to convert the home into a more fashionable Georgian mansion.

Over time the home has been divided into apartments, and used as office space, but now, it has been lovingly restored to its original grandeur, as it celebrates its new incarnation as a bed and breakfast.

John and Norman join Santa to wish everyone Happy Holidays!

If you’re looking for a unique place to stay while in town for business, a wedding, or family gathering, or if you’re just looking for a romantic holiday getaway, 300 Clifton offers everything you need to experience a bygone time of simple luxury.

This year 300 Clifton added an enchanting ice tree to their display, which magically turned colors throughout the evening.