214 3rd Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN, USA

Bishop's House/Chancery Office

The Chancery House in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States, is the current chancery for the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Cloud and the former residence for the Bishop of St. Cloud. It was built in 1916 for Bishop Joseph Francis Busch. The Chancery House was an early work of Louis Pinault, St. Cloud's most prominent early-20th-century architect. He employed Renaissance Revival style, with a mansard roof that gives the house a strong French character. he building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Bishop's House/Chancery Office in 1982 for its local significance in the theme of architecture. It was nominated for being one of Pinault's best designs and a prominent member of St. Cloud's housing stock.

National Register of Historic Places - Bishop's House/Chancery Office

Statement of Significance:

The Bishop's Residence/Chancery Office is one of St. Cloud architect Louis Pinault's best designs. It is an important addition to the city's residential architecture and the only Second Renaissance Revival style house in St. Cloud. The mansard roof gives the house a French emphasis, a hint at the tie between St. Cloud, France and St. Cloud, Minnesota. Located on an open block adjacent to the river and a major highway through the city, the house is a prominent feature of the residential section between downtown and the state university. Pinault, St. Cloud's most noted architect, is known primarily for his public buildings and schools. The 1916 design for Bishop Joseph Busch was one of his earliest commissions. Busch was appointed bishop of the St. Cloud Catholic diocese in 1915 and served until 1953. The building has the residence, chancery offices, and a chapel and integrity of use as well as design.