Historic E. S. Hoyt House for Sale in Redwing

Landmark home awaits its next owner

RED WING, MINN. (September 9, 2010) — An extraordinary home and artifact of Minnesota architectural history is now available for purchase. RE/MAX Realtor group Barker & Hedges Homes of Minnesota, a leader in the Twin Cities real estate market, is the listing agent for the E.S. Hoyt House, designed by the long-defunct Minneapolis-based architecture firm of Purcell & Elmslie. Located at 300 Hill Street in Red Wing, Minnesota, it was built in 1913 for E.S. Hoyt, then-president of the famous Red Wing Stoneware Company. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1970s. Nestled on the shores of the Mississippi River, many stunning homes have been preserved in the town of Red Wing, yet the Prairie School style Hoyt House stands out from the throng of Second Empire, Italianate, Gothic and Greek revivals. With its cantilevered second story, hipped roof, and wide eaves, this home still has a modern appearance nearly a century after it was constructed. The exterior has a bright red color scheme that would be bold for any home, with brick on the bottom story and red stucco on the top story. The mortar lines and wide bands of color combine with rows of art glass windows to accentuate the distinctly horizontal characteristics of this Prairie School style home.

The house was designed by William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie, the namesakes of the architectural practice most widely recognized as Purcell & Elmslie. Purcell helped to found the firm in 1907 and it existed under various partnerships until 1912 when it officially became Purcell & Elmslie (P&E). It was the second most commissioned architectural firm for the Prairie School style, with the first being Frank Lloyd Wright himself. Their success may have had a little something to do with the fact that Elmslie had worked alongside Wright for several years, learned a lot from him, and had even been recommended by him to other firms. Before being dissolved in 1921, P&E had offices in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis.

Sitting high on its lot, well back from the street, the ten-room, 4,000-square-foot Hoyt house was one of P&E’s most extravagant. Built in a modified T plan, the two-story house is ample and spacious, while still providing sufficient privacy. At the entrance, the home opens into a hallway with a library on the left and a living room on the right. The living and dining rooms sit side by side at the front of the house, surrounded in windows that offer fantastic views of the Mississippi River. The kitchen, the only room which has been extensively remodeled and updated, is located behind the dining room. The house’s second floor, supported by giant wood-faced beams that extend beyond the lower level, has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Many of the rooms have corner windows, a preferred Prairie style technique for enhancing the interior sense of space. The home also includes a business office on the first floor, domestic areas on the second floor, and an enclosed porch.

P&E carefully crafted each of their Prairie houses to suit the homeowners’ lifestyles. Because this home was built for a particularly wealthy client, the budget for its construction permitted the inclusion of rich embellishment. Windows, doors, and bookcases are adorned with diamond-patterned leaded glass panels. The home is filled with a considerable amount of sawn wood ornamentation. An exquisite mosaic panel over the fireplace, which depicts a night scene with the moon and clouds, was created by Edward L. Sharretts at his Mosaic Art Studios in Minneapolis.

As president of the Red Wing Stoneware Company, Hoyt was leading the nationally known business when it began making art pottery in the 1920s, an insightful move that has benefitted the company to this today. As evidenced by his house’s exceptional details, Hoyt’s discerning eye for art carried over from his private life. According to Purcell’s Parabiographies circa the 1940s, the Hoyts’ delighted in their home’s practical arrangement, spacious design, and unique aesthetic appeal. Purcell wrote that they “rather enjoyed the new excitement of being pioneers in art.”

Now in 2010, the E.S. Hoyt House is ready for new pioneers to lay claim to it. For a price of $575,000, this slice of Minnesota history will be passed on to a new guardian. A real estate treasure such as this is not available on the market often. Including the Hoyts, this home has had only a handful of owners over the years.

"This is an unbelievable home with landmark status in Red Wing," said Barker & Hedges co-founder, Matt Barker. "The current and previous owners have obviously loved this property and meticulously cared for it. Whoever buys it will want to hold on to it for a while. It is a true gem in Minnesota real estate."

To learn more about the E.S. Hoyt home or to schedule a showing, contact Barker & Hedges Homes of Minnesota RE/MAX Realtor Matt Barker at matt@barkerhedges.com, 651-789-5002, or www.prairieschoolarchitecture.com.

About Barker & Hedges

RE/MAX Realtor group Barker & Hedges Homes of Minnesota is a leader in the Twin Cities real estate market. Named repeatedly as "Super Agents" by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine, their primary goal is customer satisfaction. Their team of full-time Realtors® are licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin, offering representation to clients in both states 7 days per week. Find out more or search their listings at www.barkerhedges.com.