Details

Individual Landmark - Exterior Designation

Address: 425 Oak Grove Street

Neighborhood: Loring Park

Construction Date: 1890

Contractor: Frank Griggs (F.G.) McMillan

Architect: None

Architectural Style: Shingle

Historic Use: Private Residence

Current Use: Office

Date of Local Designation: 2011

Date of National Register Designation: N/A

Area(s) of Significance: Neighborhood Identity, Architecture, Master Builder

Period of Significance: 1890-1945

Historic profile 

The Charles Brayton Lyon House was originally an elegant, single-family residence constructed in the fashionable, wealthy neighborhood that sprung up around Minneapolis’ first city park: Central Park (now Loring Park). Mr. Lyon was the owner of the first wholesale chemical firm in the Northwest. Oak Grove Street has seen dramatic change over time. Many of the late 19th century structures were replaced with early 20th century structures. As development pressures continued more of the late 19th century structures were replaced with surface parking lots and late 20th century/early 21st century multifamily buildings. Of the 34-plus 19th century single-family structures that stood along Oak Grove Street in 1914, only four remain: 425 Oak Grove Street and three others. The Charles B. Lyon House is a three story residence designed in the Shingle style. It was built by Frank Griggs McMillan in 1890 at a cost of $6,000.

The house at 425 Oak Grove Street is a prime example of the Shingle Style as it exhibits most of the common characteristics of the style including: wood shingle cladding, asymmetrical façade with irregular, steeply pitched roof line, roof with an intersecting cross gable, multi-level eaves, a full-length porch, rugged stone foundation, small paned windows that form a horizontal band, restrained ornamentation (compared to Queen Anne style), prominent porch columns, textured wood shingles, and an asymmetrical placed tower that blends into the main volume of the house.

Photo credits

1976 and 2012, Minneapolis CPED