Address: 3116 Third Avenue South

Neighborhood: Central

Construction Date: 1891

Contractor: T.P. Healy

Designer: T.P. Healy

Architectural Style: Queen Anne

Historic Use: Single-family residence

Current Use: Single-family residence

Date of Local Designation: 1976

Date of National Designation: N/A

Area of Significance: Master craftsmen; architecture

Period of Significance: 1891- 

Historic Profile: The Bennett-McBride House, built in 1891, is a well-preserved example of the Queen Anne style of domestic architecture. The style was popular during a period of large population growth in Minneapolis during the 1890s and is seen throughout parts of South Minneapolis. The house is a representative sample of the form that this style took in Minneapolis. Incorporated in the design are Palladian windows, Moorish arches, a Gothic stairway, and other decorative elements such as spindlework and stained glass. The house was designed using catalogue architecture, by the local master builder T.P. Healy. This method of design was common in this era and explains the similarities and combinations of elements in Queen Anne houses. Houses were executed on similar floor plans with major elements alike. Distinctive features were products of local millwork designers and master builders and were used as finishing touches. These wooden elements were usually the first decorations to be removed to “modernize” a home to conform to changing personal taste. The Bennett-McBride house, however, is unique in the care taken to preserve these designed millwork features, both interior and exterior. The home is also included in the Healy Block Historic District.

Photo Credits:

1976, Minneapolis CPED

Works Cited:

“Designation Study: Bennett-McBride House,” 1976.