tour the stone houses of faribault

By Amy Acheson
Tour the stone houses of Faribault
Quarried
locally, the rock gives this city distinct appeal
D
igging into the history of Faribault,
you’ll stumble across something
rock solid — a collection of locally
quarried stone houses built about a century
and a half ago that, according to the National
Register of Historic Places, “represents one
of Faribault’s strongest and unique architectural resources from its early period.” Today,
you can take a driving tour around town to
see these historically significant stone
homes.
Several stone quarries operated in
Faribault from the mid-1800s into the early
1900s. The homes “sent a message of practicality and modest means by using local
materials and labor … and while vernacular
buildings are common, these limestone
buildings occupy a special category in
Faribault architecture and are not found in
all towns,” according to the Faribault
Historic Preservation Committee tour guide.
The stonemasons, primarily FrenchCanadian, German and Irish that came to
settle the land, were hard-working pioneers
disciplined in the trade. An 1890 article in
the Faribault newspaper titled “The Stone
Cutters” addressed who the makers of the
Louis Carufel House, 425 SW Third St.
physical Faribault
were: “From almost
the earliest days
there have been a
group of workmen
here who have
formed, as one
might say, a ‘Mason’s
Guild’ — whole families working
together digging the
stone from the rockbound earth, hewing, cutting, chiseling into shape and
finally laying it in
symmetrical course
until the building
John Gottlieb Pfeiffer House, 931 NW Third Ave.
was completed.”
The stone-quarry
industry not only contributed to a group of
The Lieb family has a long history in
distinct homes, but the native stone was used Faribault with shoemaking and quarrying.
for various buildings in town and the surThe Francois Tetrault House at 224 NE
rounding region, such as prestigious educaSecond St. was built in 1872. Its vernacular
tional institutions like Shattuck-St. Mary’s
style of architecture has a unique setting
School and St. Olaf College and various city
close to what was believed to be an old ferry
buildings and churches in the area, several of landing and boasts walls two feet thick!
which are listed on
The Ephatha Church at 5 NE Sixth Ave.
the National Register was built in 1941 in a Gothic Revival style.
of Historic Places
The mission of the American Lutheran
today.
church was to serve the needs of the deaf
and blind. “Ephatha” means to “be open.”
The Thomas McMahon House* at 603 E.
Driving Tour of
Division St. was built in 1871. This vernacuStone Homes
lar home has a simple plan and is modest in
The Phillip Lieb
size with minimal decoration — typical of
House at 122 First
early settlement homes with basic sensibiliAve. NE was built in
ties. McMahon was an owner of a local stone
1865. This simple
home, built by a pio- quarry.
The Erblang House at 204 N.E. Erblang
neer originally from
Ave. was built in 1864. This vernacular home
Germany, is of vernacular architectural was originally built as a one-room dwelling.
It also has substantial walls two-feet thick.
style. The house is
The Cormack McCall House* at 817 NE
now occupied by
Ravine St. was built in 1871. Cormack was a
Whillock Studio.
Geological riches of indigenous blue limestone contribute to the
aesthetic quality of this southern Minnesota town. One can marvel
at fine craftsmanship in a unique tour of stone houses.
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Faribault stone mason that built
this 1 1/2-story stone house in a
Vernacular Greek Revival style
keeping a relatively simple footprint.
The James Dobbin House/St.
James Campus* is part of
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School at
1800 14th St. NE and was built
in circa 1865. It’s a 2 1/2-story
classic Gothic Revival country
cottage that sits on the eastern
wooded bluffs of the Straight
River. It was often referred to as
“Manney Hill.”
The John Gottlieb Pfeiffer
House* at 931 NW Third Ave.
Thomas McCall House, 102 SW Fourth Ave.
was built in 1868. This twoences with contrasting tan limestone sills
story dwelling has Federal style
and lintels.
detailing shown through its symmetry of
The Thomas McCall House* at 102 SW
design, corner quoins and classical front
Fourth Ave. was built circa 1868. The two
entry. Pfeiffer was a stonecutter from
story Italianate style includes corners
Germany.
defined in heavy stone quoins, segmental
The Immaculate Conception Catholic
arched windows with heavy stone hoods and
Church at Third Avenue Southwest and
other ornate embellishments.
Division Street West was built in 1858. The
The Charles Brandt House at 317 NW
Classic Revival church was built on land
Second St. circa
donated by the town’s founder, Alexander
1880 is a Queen
Faribault. The historic church served as a
Anne/Eastlake/
place of refuge for local people during the
Stick with
Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Romanesque
The Robert O’Brien House at 303 SW
overtones.
Third Ave. was built in the 1860s. The style
Brandt operis considered Vernacular with Greek Revival
ated a local
embellishments. O’Brien was a stonemason.
brewery in
The Louis Carufel House* at 425 SW
town as well as
Third St. was built in 1877. The home is cathelped to form
egorized as Gothic Revival with Italianate
an athletic
influences and is a rare find. It has steeply
pitched gables, heavy corner drops and other organization.
The J.L
ornate details. The copper-clad truncated
Frisbie House
hipped roof has aged to a patina.
at 105 NW
The Vincent and Elizabeth Lieb House* at
Third St. was
201 SW Fourth Ave. was built in 1862. This
built in 1865.
Vernacular home has Greek Revival influ-
This home is an Italianate villa
style and was considered a mansion in its day.
Although the quarries are no
longer in operation, the general
public can find remnants of one at
River Bend Nature Center just
southwest of their Trailside building and also visit the center to
learn more about the interesting
geology of the area. A rare old
1912 Cartercar used to haul stone
on a narrow rail spur is on display
at the Rice County Historical
Society as well as many original
tools, sketches and various artifacts on stone masonry.
Today, the limestone buildings
stand as testimonials of the historic geological make-up of the land and are examples of
the skilled labors of the town’s earliest working class.
The stone homes are described as
Faribault’s most handsome and well-constructed buildings and will be for years to
come.
Vincent Lieb House, 201 SW Fourth Ave.
* Listed on the National Register of
Historic Places
Sources: Minnesota Historical
Society, National Register of Historic
Places Cont. Sheets from the U.S.
Dept. of the Interior, Rice County
Historical Society, River Bend Nature
Center and the Faribault Historic
Preservation Commission.
Stone Houses: Photos courtesy of
the Minnesota Historical Society
Faribault Quarry: Photo courtesy of
the Rice County Historical Society
Men pose for a portrait at a Faribault quarry in the 1800s.
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