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Share what you know,
and discover more.
Michael and Mary Hanley House
This small house at 706 West Anderson Street is one of only two limestone houses in Stillwater. (The other is the Wardens House museum on North Main Street.) Not surprisingly, the man who built this small house on Anderson Street was a stone mason by the name of Michael Hanley._x000D_ _x000D_ Michael Hanley was born in Ireland about 1830; his wife, Mary, also born in Ireland, was eight years younger. Michael came to Stillwater in 1853. In the winter of 1862, the couple bought this lot from the developer, William Holcombe, for $100, and Hanley immediately began building their home. The couple had 14 children, of whom six lived to adulthood. The 1880 U.S. Census records seven children living in the house: Kate, Ellen, Anna, Daniel, Michael, Peter, and John._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1871, Hanley added a second lot to his estate, but in 1876, he foolishly took out a $350 mortgage from a man in Wyoming County, New York. On June 14, 1877, Mary Hanley died. Two years later, in 1879, Hanleys unique home was repossessed._x000D_ _x000D_ The assessed value of the two lots and his house was set at $315 by the tax assessor in 1880. However, the newspaper, The Messenger, had the following ad in its August 5, 1882, edition: "For Sale: A stone house on Anderson and Harriet streets: Holcombes Addition. Two beautiful lots. Very desirable. $750.00"_x000D_ _x000D_ On April 9, 1888, Michael Hanley died at age 58. He had become a well known stone mason in Stillwater who worked on the construction of St. Michaels Church and the Stone Bridge among other notable projects._x000D_ _x000D_ His small one-story symmetrical house with its broad side to the street, is a very simple version of the Greek Revival style. Hanley built the house with rubble (odd sized, not cut) limestone, a cheaper construction than that of cut limestone blocks. Sometimes the stone that was used was quarried from the basement of the house. These limestone residences are rare today; perhaps fewer than one-hundred remain in Minnesota. This home is worthy of preservation._x000D_ _x000D_ Over the years alterations have been made to the original house. An addition has been added to the back of the house. The original windows would have been six-pane over six-pane windows; today the modern windows are one-pane over one-pane. The front peak on the roof is a much later addition and is not compatible with the style of the original house._x000D_ _x000D_ The Stillwater Public Library has a painting of this house by Jo Lutz Rollins on display in its permanent collection. ... Read More Read Less
Michael and Mary Hanley House
This small house at 706 West Anderson Street is one of only two limestone houses in Stillwater. (The other is the Wardens House museum on North Main Street.) Not surprisingly, the man who built this small house on Anderson Street was a stone mason by the name of Michael Hanley._x000D_ _x000D_ Michael Hanley was born in Ireland about 1830; his wife, Mary, also born in Ireland, was eight years younger. Michael came to Stillwater in 1853. In the winter of 1862, the couple bought this lot from the developer, William Holcombe, for $100, and Hanley immediately began building their home. The couple had 14 children, of whom six lived to adulthood. The 1880 U.S. Census records seven children living in the house: Kate, Ellen, Anna, Daniel, Michael, Peter, and John._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1871, Hanley added a second lot to his estate, but in 1876, he foolishly took out a $350 mortgage from a man in Wyoming County, New York. On June 14, 1877, Mary Hanley died. Two years later, in 1879, Hanleys unique home was repossessed._x000D_ _x000D_ The assessed value of the two lots and his house was set at $315 by the tax assessor in 1880. However, the newspaper, The Messenger, had the following ad in its August 5, 1882, edition: "For Sale: A stone house on Anderson and Harriet streets: Holcombes Addition. Two beautiful lots. Very desirable. $750.00"_x000D_ _x000D_ On April 9, 1888, Michael Hanley died at age 58. He had become a well known stone mason in Stillwater who worked on the construction of St. Michaels Church and the Stone Bridge among other notable projects._x000D_ _x000D_ His small one-story symmetrical house with its broad side to the street, is a very simple version of the Greek Revival style. Hanley built the house with rubble (odd sized, not cut) limestone, a cheaper construction than that of cut limestone blocks. Sometimes the stone that was used was quarried from the basement of the house. These limestone residences are rare today; perhaps fewer than one-hundred remain in Minnesota. This home is worthy of preservation._x000D_ _x000D_ Over the years alterations have been made to the original house. An addition has been added to the back of the house. The original windows would have been six-pane over six-pane windows; today the modern windows are one-pane over one-pane. The front peak on the roof is a much later addition and is not compatible with the style of the original house._x000D_ _x000D_ The Stillwater Public Library has a painting of this house by Jo Lutz Rollins on display in its permanent collection. ... Read More Read Less
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
