St. Paul’s Architecture

"Few cities in the Midwest, or elsewhere for that matter, can match the rich architectural history of St. Paul, and it can all be found in this splendid new book. Jeffrey Hess and Paul Clifford Larson have given us an opportunity to appreciate this history anew through carefully chosen images and a compelling text. It's a book I highly recommend." —Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

"St. Paul's Architecture not only chronicles the high-style and high-profile buildings in the city, but also documents the rise of St. Paul's late nineteenth-century urban core, its early twentieth-century residential areas, and its late twentieth-century revival. The book offers a fascinating look at the evolution of the architectural profession as well, with insights into the social, political, and artistic role it plays in the life of a city." —Thomas Fisher, Dean, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota

"St. Paul's Architecture offers the most thorough account to date of St. Paul's architectural legacy and makes a valuable contribution to the historic record of the city." —Larry Millett, author of Lost Twin Cities and Twin Cities Then and Now

From the grand boulevard of Summit Avenue to the gleaming State Capitol, from the warehouses of University Avenue to the postwar neighborhoods in Highland Park, St. Paul, Minnesota, is a city blessed with an extraordinary architectural heritage.

In St. Paul’s Architecture, Jeffrey A. Hess and Paul Clifford Larson portray the city’s distinct history and character through the evolution of its built environment. Starting with the buildings that defined St. Paul’s founding in the 1840s, through the great construction boom of the mid-1880s, to the stylish and artistic work of period-revival architects in the 1920s and 1930s and the rise of modernism after World War II, the authors showcase the city’s rich architectural heritage. Concluding the exploration, the book’s final chapter sheds light on the architecture of present-day St. Paul.

St. Paul’s Architecture presents more than 225 notable surviving buildings and the history of several neighborhoods of the city. With many historical photographs and illustrations, this engaging book is a valuable resource not only for those interested in architectural heritage but also for anyone who admires St. Paul’s unique beauty and charm.

Published in cooperation with the City of St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission.