THE GRAND OLD LADIES OF LANESBORO People love Lanesboro for many reasons. One is the area’s natural beauty. The Root River, the bluffs, the nearby rolling fields, wide horizons and verdant forests have attracted people here for more than 150 years.
Parkway Ave S), Scandinavian Inn (701 Kenilworth Ave, 1892), Vickerman House (600 Calhoun Ave S, 1893), Anna V’s B&B (507 Fillmore Ave S, 1908) and Cady Hayes House (500 Calhoun Ave S, 1894).
Another beauty in Lanesboro is man-made—the town’s amazing historical architecture. San Francisco has its Victorians called “Painted Ladies.” Our town has similar late19th century homes. Let’s call them the “Grand Old Ladies of Lanesboro.” Some are large, some smaller and more delicate, but all are beautiful.
Some are “Queen Anne Victorians,” distinguished by large wrap-around porches, intricate stained glass windows, rounded towers or turrets, upstairs porches, high ceilings, and sweeping, ornate staircases. The homes were opulent, but not gaudy, wealthy yes, but with Midwest sensibility. Norwegian immigrant craftsmen left their mark in creative embellishments and filigree, both inside and outside the homes. Their new look was combined with cutting edge amenities like indoor plumbing, hot and cold running water and electric lights. Gardens were common, so were servant quarters. A number have now been converted into B&Bs.
Lanesboro was founded in 1869, and within a decade the town was booming. Population soared. New shops and businesses opened almost weekly. Mills were humming, farmers and lumberers were prospering, optimistic bankers were lending money. Life was good. People needed places to live, and the strong economy meant many could afford to build nice homes. Soon, all around town, but especially in the southern “Brooklyn” neighborhood, large Victorian homes were under construction.
So, as you visit this unique little town, or proudly call it “home,” make sure you enjoy the natural beauty so accessible here. But take time, too, to soak in the humanmade sights, including the grace and beauty of “The Grand Old Ladies of Lanesboro!”
The name comes from the “Victorian Era,” the reign of England’s Queen Victoria (1837-1901). It was a progressive time of new developments (from railroads to telegraph to telephones to automobiles) and styles, including the look of homes being built not just in England, but across North America…and all the way to Lanesboro, Minnesota. Examples include the Thompson House (401 Parkway Ave S, 1870), Habberstad House (706 Fillmore Ave S, 1897), Scanlan House (708 Parkway Ave S, 1890), Samuel Nelson House (709
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