Photo courtesy of St. Paul By Bike
1371 Nebraska Ave.
The Park Bugle reports that after the Hazzards left the property in the early 1900s, they hired a someone to care for the home—who died by murder. A newspaper reporter described the home as “lonely and deserted,” the “road leading to it from the turnpike (Hamline Avenue) overgrown with weeds.” Its lonely history, it seemed, continued for years.
If you look at old photographs of the historic George Hoyt and Hannah Hazzard House—a grand Italianate-style home in the Como Park neighborhood of St. Paul—you’ll see that something most houses have nowadays is missing from the towering two-story house and its surrounding half-acre property: a driveway.
That, and electricity and indoor plumbing, which was luckily added to the home in the 1900s—after its original habitants had moved out.
Those individuals were especially notable to the growing community, as George Hazzard—a Ramsey County commissioner—played a key role in developing the Interstate State Park, the second-oldest state park in Minnesota and the first to ever be shared by two states: Wisconsin and Minnesota. He helped push for the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to permanently move to the location where it now resides—attracting hundreds of thousands of people every year to the State Fair. Hazzard’s wife, Hannah Hoyt Hazzard, came from the prestigious Hoyt family (from whom Hoyt Avenue gets its moniker). Her father Benjamin was the founder of Hamline University. Bottom line: This family was a big deal in St. Paul back in the day.
Now 150 years after the historic home was built, this five-bedroom, four-bathroom masterpiece—built in 1872—is on the market for $635,000, following an estimated $150,000 luxury remodel to bring this hidden gem back to its former glory.
The Hazzard Home, located at 1371 Nebraska Ave. W., is a rarity in the neighborhood, as St. Paul retains few historic homes from that era. A 2001 historic context study from the City of St. Paul reveals that, “while St. Paul developed a substantial collection of house types and styles prior to 1880, surprisingly few examples remain. This is largely because the original area of settlement in Lowertown was completely rebuilt within a few decades.”
The exterior is a trademark of the Italianate style—a style that was on its way out by the 1880s—with overhanging eaves decorated with detailed corbels, sloped roofs, and rounded windows. A glimpse inside reveals the true beauty that is this historic home. Stunning bay windows give the room a light, airy atmosphere, with a baby grand piano that looks like something straight out of Pride and Prejudice. Instead of a ladder for books Beauty and the Beast style, there’s a ladder for spices. Or a hidden jar of cookies—up to you. Hike up to the third-floor tower for a hideaway perfect for curling up with a good book.
Though the historic home still retains much of its original charm, there have been notable changes to the property. Images reveal the tower was torn down at some point, a porch and balcony added on. Not to mention the addition of a driveway, which made its introduction when cars became the primary mode of transportation. At some point the home was owned by Como Presbyterian Church, then split into a duplex where it deteriorated with time and age. In 1986, it was transformed into the Como Villa Bed and Breakfast, where it was given a new life—but was later sold.
The most recent owners, couple Sarah Dye and John Coulter, invested $150,000 to renovate the property to feature top-of-the-line upgrades, including a Subzero refrigerator, and Cambria counters.
The result is something sleek—yet simple. It evokes a kind of hominess only found in fairy tales—or real life, if you find yourself in the market. Check out the full listing.
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Photo courtesy of Streets MN
1371 Nebraska Ave
Notice something missing? While most homes have a driveway—and, if you’re lucky, a garage—the Hazzard Home in Saint Paul noticeably didn’t have one when it was built in 1872. That’s because cars hadn’t been invented yet. The first patent for a vehicle came in the mid-1880s.
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Photo courtesy of House Novel
1371 Nebraska Ave
At one point, the cupola above the home (its third story, for all intents and purposes) was knocked down, though later rebuilt.
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Edina Realty
1371 Nebraska Avenue
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Edina Realty
1371 Nebraska Ave. Kitchen
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Edina Realty
1371 Nebraska Ave. Living Room
