Historic Park Avenue: A Daylong Adventure
of Architecture, Art & Anecdotes
Get ready to step back in time and experience the once-most-prestigious street in Minneapolis through two unique, back-to-back opportunities to learn about its lost and remaining homes, their famous architects, and the movers and shakers who commissioned them to be built. While both tours function independent of one another, attending both is highly recommended to get the full Park Avenue experience!
Part II: Queen Annes, Classical Revivals & the Stories of Their People
28th Street to 38th Street
While Park Avenue’s mansion district has changed dramatically, the architectural landscape between 28th and 38th Streets remains remarkably intact. These 10 blocks boast an array of elegant wood-frame residences in a variety of popular turn-of-the-century styles, all built for upper-middle-class families and designed by the same leading architects responsible for the neighboring mansions to the north. Discover the differences between these architectural styles and hear colorful stories (some even scandalous!) of the first owners, architects, and builders. Experience firsthand how this stretch of Park Avenue is being rediscovered and renewed with two interior tours of lovingly restored homes, including a grand finale interior tour of a magnificent 1898 Queen Anne, designed by Architect James H. Record. Afterwards, make your way to the stunning backyard gardens to socialize while enjoying tasty treats!
This tour is ADA accessible except for the interiors. Please note that this tour ends at 36th & Park Ave, 5 blocks from the starting location.
Tour Length: 6 city blocks. Tour Guide: Ryan Knoke.
Click here to register for Part II: Queen Annes, Classical Revivals & the Stories of Their People.
(To register for Part I: Age of Opulence Along the Golden Mile, click here.)
About Ryan Knoke
Ryan Knoke is an architectural historian who has been sharing his extensive knowledge of Park Avenue with the public since debuting his first walking tour in 2008, an effort for which he was awarded a Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Award through the American Institute of Architects in 2009. Since then, he has served as researcher and consultant on the successful historic designations of two of Park Avenue’s last remaining mansions. In 2013, a unique opportunity to buy a grand Clarence Johnston-designed house in St. Paul’s Cathedral Hill drew Ryan and his partner, Montana Scheff, away from the Park Avenue home that they spent nearly 10 years restoring. From their new St. Paul base, Ryan continues to research, create, and lead other history tours, talks, and classes throughout the Twin Cities, including for the U of M, the Minnesota Historical Society, the Preservation Alliance of MN, and the Clarence H. Johnston Society, for which he and Montana currently serve as co-chairs.