About
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Address: 410 Oak Grove
Neighborhood: Loring Park
Construction Date: 1927
Architect: Leon Eugene Arnal
Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival
Historic Use: Public - Clubhouse
Current Use: Public - Clubhouse
Date of Local Designation: 1998
Date of National Designation: N/A
Area(s) of Significance: Cultural History; Historic Personage; Master Architect
Period of Significance: 1927-1997
Historic Profile: Far from simply being a social club, the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis played an active role in the city’s early 20th-century social and cultural development. From its creation in 1907, the Club provided an organization for upper and middle-class women to follow in the tradition of the Progressive reformers in improving the city and supporting the arts. Emerging at the time of the Women’s Suffrage movement of the early twentieth century, the Club offered an opportunity for women to participate in community affairs and gain political influence. Prominent women, such as Gratia Countryman, the first female head librarian in the City of Minneapolis; Clara Ueland, president of the Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association; and Mabeth Hurd Paige, a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, were active participants in the Woman’s Club. By 1921, the Club had gained so much popularity the headquarters located on Harmon Place could no longer accommodate its 1,000 members. Leon Arnal, a professor from the University of Minnesota working in association with the architectural firm of Magney and Tusler, was hired to design the new location overlooking Loring Park. Arnal, who was later recognized for his work on the Foshay Tower and the U.S. Post Office, designed the Woman’s Club in a Second Renaissance Revival style that harmonized with the neighboring buildings. The details Arnal employed such as wrought iron balconets, arched loggia and patterned brickwork created a distinctive landmark as well as a symbol that solidified the influence of the Woman’s Club in Minneapolis.
Photo Credits:
1930, Charles J. Hibbard, view from West 15 th Street, courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society
2006, Minneapolis CPED
Works Cited:
"City of Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission Registration Form," May 1996.
Updated: February 2007