Apr 13, 1977
National Register of Historic Places - Knute Nelson Memorial Home
Statement of Significance: The Knute Nelson House is significant due to its association with the "Grand Old Man of Minnesota", The house served as Knute Nelson's residence throughout his over fifty years of public service. In 1871 Nelson enter a U.S. homestead of 120 acres adjoining the Village of Alexandria. Upon his death in 1923 the house and surrounding acreage were willed to the American Lutheran Church for service to the aged. Knute Nelson, a Norwegian immigrant, settled on this property after serving in the Civil War with Company B, Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers, being admitted to the bar, and serving two years in the Wisconsin Assembly, From 1872 to 1875 he served as county attorney of Douglas County, Nelson served as a member of the state Senate from 1875 to 1879. In 1880 he was a presidential elector on the Garfield ticket, and a member of the board of regents of the University of Minnesota from 1882 to 1893. He was elected as a representative to Congress in 1882 and served three terms, when he declined reelection. He then resumed the practice of law in Alexandria. In 1892 he was unanimously nominated as the Republican candidate for Governor of Minnesota and was elected by a plurality of over 14,000. A renomination and reelection by a plurality of 60,000 followed in 1894. Soon after his reelection as Governor he was elected to the U.S, Senate by the Minnesota Legislature in 1895, to which position he was reelected in 1901, 1907, 1913, and 1919. Nelson was the first Scandinavian elected to the U.S. Congress. During his years in the Congress Nelson served on many important committees including the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Committee on Commerce, the Pension Committee, Committee on Public Lands, and the Committee on Agriculture. Nelson is credited with the passage of several important bills. The Bankruptcy Act of 1898, often referred to as the "Nelson Cure", was drafted, sponsored on the floor of the Senate, and steered through both houses by Nelson. Another important act, drafted, introduced, sponsored, and piloted through Congress by Senator Nelson, was the law creating the Department of Commerce and Labor. Senator Nelson endorsed a federal income tax and was active in securing the passage of a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to impose such an act. Senator Nelson took a lively interest in pure food and meat inspection legislation, and was one of the most active in securing other progressive laws urged by President Theodore Roosevelt. A great deal of legislation which benefitted the state of Minnesota was introduced and steered through Congress by Senator Nelson. Among this legislation was a bill granting to Minnesota lands for a state sanitarium site near Leech Lake, various bills appropriating money for public buildings, and for rebuilding the reservoirs of the Upper Mississippi. Senator Nelson showed his interest in conservation and reclamation by his act of 1904 authorizing the state of Minnesota to select and acquire 20,000 acres of public land for forestry purposes.
National Register of Historic Places - Knute Nelson Memorial Home
Statement of Significance: The Knute Nelson House is significant due to its association with the "Grand Old Man of Minnesota", The house served as Knute Nelson's residence throughout his over fifty years of public service. In 1871 Nelson enter a U.S. homestead of 120 acres adjoining the Village of Alexandria. Upon his death in 1923 the house and surrounding acreage were willed to the American Lutheran Church for service to the aged. Knute Nelson, a Norwegian immigrant, settled on this property after serving in the Civil War with Company B, Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers, being admitted to the bar, and serving two years in the Wisconsin Assembly, From 1872 to 1875 he served as county attorney of Douglas County, Nelson served as a member of the state Senate from 1875 to 1879. In 1880 he was a presidential elector on the Garfield ticket, and a member of the board of regents of the University of Minnesota from 1882 to 1893. He was elected as a representative to Congress in 1882 and served three terms, when he declined reelection. He then resumed the practice of law in Alexandria. In 1892 he was unanimously nominated as the Republican candidate for Governor of Minnesota and was elected by a plurality of over 14,000. A renomination and reelection by a plurality of 60,000 followed in 1894. Soon after his reelection as Governor he was elected to the U.S, Senate by the Minnesota Legislature in 1895, to which position he was reelected in 1901, 1907, 1913, and 1919. Nelson was the first Scandinavian elected to the U.S. Congress. During his years in the Congress Nelson served on many important committees including the Committee on Indian Affairs, the Committee on Commerce, the Pension Committee, Committee on Public Lands, and the Committee on Agriculture. Nelson is credited with the passage of several important bills. The Bankruptcy Act of 1898, often referred to as the "Nelson Cure", was drafted, sponsored on the floor of the Senate, and steered through both houses by Nelson. Another important act, drafted, introduced, sponsored, and piloted through Congress by Senator Nelson, was the law creating the Department of Commerce and Labor. Senator Nelson endorsed a federal income tax and was active in securing the passage of a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to impose such an act. Senator Nelson took a lively interest in pure food and meat inspection legislation, and was one of the most active in securing other progressive laws urged by President Theodore Roosevelt. A great deal of legislation which benefitted the state of Minnesota was introduced and steered through Congress by Senator Nelson. Among this legislation was a bill granting to Minnesota lands for a state sanitarium site near Leech Lake, various bills appropriating money for public buildings, and for rebuilding the reservoirs of the Upper Mississippi. Senator Nelson showed his interest in conservation and reclamation by his act of 1904 authorizing the state of Minnesota to select and acquire 20,000 acres of public land for forestry purposes.
Apr 13, 1977
Posted Date
Jul 31, 2022
Historical Record Date
Apr 13, 1977
Source Name
National Register of Historic Places
