About

1930

2006

Address: 159 Arthur Avenue S.E .

Neighborhood: Prospect Park

Construction Date: 1894

Contractor: Unknown

Architect: Unknown

Architectural Style: Queen Anne/Eastlake

Historic Use: Private Residence

Current Use: Private Residence

Date of Local Designation: 1983

Date of National Register Designation: N/A

Area(s) of Significance: Architecture

Period of Significance: 1800-1899, 1900-

Historic Profile: The Jacob Hafstad House is architecturally distinctive as an outstanding example of the use of Eastlake Style ornament to enliven exterior surfaces. Jacob Hafstad was employed as a fireman in the Minneapolis Fire Department in the 1890s. It is not known who designed the house Hafstad built at 159 Arthur Avenue S.E. in 1894. The site chosen for the house, a hilltop in Prospect Park overlooking the Mississippi River, was a perfect setting for the Queen Anne style residence. The use of Eastlake Style stick-and-ball porch ornament and pierced gabled bargeboard enhanced the design of the home’s irregular plan, creating a Victorian inspired architectural composition reflecting both function and fantasy. Throughout the years the elaborate ornament has remained remarkably intact even while the original surface material has been covered. The Jacob Hafstad House is a locally distinctive example of the use of architectural decoration which represents an important aspect of 19th-century design emphasis.

Photo Credits:

1930, courtesy of Under the Witch’s Hat

2006, Minneapolis CPED

Works Cited:

"National Register of Historic Places – Nomination Form," November 1978.

Updated: February 2007