Adolphus and Aurora Hospes House
This grand, Queen Anne style house has a long and interesting history. The two-and-a-half-story, frame building, with its limestone foundation, clapboard siding, one-over-one double-hung windows, and hip roof with lower cross gables was constructed in 1892 for Adolphus C. and Aurora Hospes. The steeply pitched, irregular shaped roof, front-facing gables with decorative wood shingles, scroll-sawn ornamentation, and wrap-around porch are all characteristics of the Queen Anne style. The pediment over the steps to the front porch embraces its stature on a prominent corner lot where this house sits. Although a shed roof greenhouse was constructed at the southeast corner of the house in the 1980s, this house exhibits a relatively high degree of historic integrity and is a good example of a well preserved Queen Anne house. A carriage house, built contemporaneously with the house, is located behind the house. Originally, this carriage house was a one-and-a-half-story, side gable structure with a front-facing decorative gable; however, it was extensively remodeled in 2003, by extending the side gable on the north elevation, adding all new windows and doors, and adding a carport on the south elevation. In 1873, Adolphus C. Hospes purchased multiple lots on the east side of North 4th Street. Hospes served in Minnesotas First Regiment in the Civil War and survived the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam. On June 22, 1870, Hospes married Aurora Staples, daughter of Stillwater lumberman Isaac Staples. Hospes, with his business partner William S. Conrad, owned and operated Conrad & Hospes, a meat market and tobacco store that was located at the corner of Main and Myrtle Streets in Stillwater. Hospes had many other business dealings, including owning a dry goods store, acting as an officer in Isaac Staples bank, serving as the secretary and treasurer of the St. Croix Boom Association, serving as secretary of the Stillwater Building Association, serving as treasurer of the St. Croix Lumbermens Board of Trade, and serving as the surveyor general of Logs. By the early 1890s, Adolphus C. and Aurora Staples Hospes were quite wealthy residents of the St. Croix Valley, and in 1892, they purchased a building permit for this lot and constructed this fine residence. The couple raised four children, Olivia Jane, Lewis, Eva, and Pauline, in this house. Adolphus passed away in 1911 and Aurora in 1921; they are buried by the Staples Obelisk in Fairview Cemetery. The eldest child, Olivia Jane owned the house for a short time after her parents deaths. Throughout the twentieth century, the house was owned by George and Caroline Wilson; Amelia Bartlett; the Johnson family; Dr. Kalvin and Kathleen Blodgett; Dennis Murphy and his family; James Cummings and his family; Carol and William Hendrickson, who completely renovated the house and converted it into a Bed and Breakfast; and Cathy and Jerry Helmberger, who currently operate the house as Aurora Staples Bed and Breakfast (personal communication with Cathy Helmberger from research conducted by Brent Peterson).
Adolphus and Aurora Hospes House
This grand, Queen Anne style house has a long and interesting history. The two-and-a-half-story, frame building, with its limestone foundation, clapboard siding, one-over-one double-hung windows, and hip roof with lower cross gables was constructed in 1892 for Adolphus C. and Aurora Hospes. The steeply pitched, irregular shaped roof, front-facing gables with decorative wood shingles, scroll-sawn ornamentation, and wrap-around porch are all characteristics of the Queen Anne style. The pediment over the steps to the front porch embraces its stature on a prominent corner lot where this house sits. Although a shed roof greenhouse was constructed at the southeast corner of the house in the 1980s, this house exhibits a relatively high degree of historic integrity and is a good example of a well preserved Queen Anne house. A carriage house, built contemporaneously with the house, is located behind the house. Originally, this carriage house was a one-and-a-half-story, side gable structure with a front-facing decorative gable; however, it was extensively remodeled in 2003, by extending the side gable on the north elevation, adding all new windows and doors, and adding a carport on the south elevation. In 1873, Adolphus C. Hospes purchased multiple lots on the east side of North 4th Street. Hospes served in Minnesotas First Regiment in the Civil War and survived the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam. On June 22, 1870, Hospes married Aurora Staples, daughter of Stillwater lumberman Isaac Staples. Hospes, with his business partner William S. Conrad, owned and operated Conrad & Hospes, a meat market and tobacco store that was located at the corner of Main and Myrtle Streets in Stillwater. Hospes had many other business dealings, including owning a dry goods store, acting as an officer in Isaac Staples bank, serving as the secretary and treasurer of the St. Croix Boom Association, serving as secretary of the Stillwater Building Association, serving as treasurer of the St. Croix Lumbermens Board of Trade, and serving as the surveyor general of Logs. By the early 1890s, Adolphus C. and Aurora Staples Hospes were quite wealthy residents of the St. Croix Valley, and in 1892, they purchased a building permit for this lot and constructed this fine residence. The couple raised four children, Olivia Jane, Lewis, Eva, and Pauline, in this house. Adolphus passed away in 1911 and Aurora in 1921; they are buried by the Staples Obelisk in Fairview Cemetery. The eldest child, Olivia Jane owned the house for a short time after her parents deaths. Throughout the twentieth century, the house was owned by George and Caroline Wilson; Amelia Bartlett; the Johnson family; Dr. Kalvin and Kathleen Blodgett; Dennis Murphy and his family; James Cummings and his family; Carol and William Hendrickson, who completely renovated the house and converted it into a Bed and Breakfast; and Cathy and Jerry Helmberger, who currently operate the house as Aurora Staples Bed and Breakfast (personal communication with Cathy Helmberger from research conducted by Brent Peterson).
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
