John H. Stevens House Museum – Minneapolis, Minnesota - Atlas Obscura

John H. Stevens House Museum

The first house that was officially sanctioned on the west bank of the Mississippi. 

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This building was once the home of John H Stevens, a veteran of the Mexican War and an early pioneer in the region. His house is one of the first in Minneapolis. It became the center of political and judicial systems in both Minneapolis and Hennepin County for many years.

Stevens was given permission to build the house by the army at Fort Snelling on the understanding that he operated a ferry across the river. The unofficial name of the house at the time was “ferry farm.”

The house was built close to St Anthony falls, but in 1896, thousands of schoolchildren were given the day off from school and contributed to hauling the house closer to where it now stands in Minnehaha Park. 

The John H Stevens house currently operates as a museum within the beautiful Minnehaha Park and very close to the famous Minnehaha Falls. Although owned by the parks and recreation department, the building and museum are maintained and operated by a volunteer group.

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