Prairie School Architecture

The historic E.S. Hoyt House is located at 300 Hill Street in Red Wing, Minnesota.

The History

Designed by the Minneapolis-based architecture firm of Purcell & Elmslie, this home was built in 1913 for E.S. Hoyt, then-president of the famous Red Wing Stoneware Company. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Exterior

Sitting high on its lot, well back from the street, the Hoyt house was one of Purcell & Elmslie’s most extravagant. With its cantilevered second story, low-hipped roof, and broad eaves, this Prairie School style home has a modern appearance nearly a century after its construction. The red exterior color scheme is bold, with brick on the bottom story and red stucco on the top story. The mortar lines and wide bands of color combine with rows of art glass windows to accentuate the horizontal features typical of Prairie School style architecture.

The Interior

Built in a modified T plan, this ten-room, 4,000-square-foot house is ample and spacious, while still providing sufficient privacy. The living and dining rooms sit side by side at the front of the house, surrounded in windows that offer fantastic views of the Mississippi River Valley. The kitchen is the only room which has been extensively remodeled and updated. Many of the four bedrooms and two bathrooms on the house’s second floor have corner windows to enhance the interior sense of space.

The E.S. Hoyt House is richly embellished. Windows, doors, and bookcases are adorned with diamond-patterned leaded glass panels. A mosaic panel over the fireplace, which depicts a night scene with the moon and clouds, was created by Edward L. Sharretts at his Mosaic Art Studios in Minneapolis. To compliment the exceptionally designed windows, the home is filled with a considerable amount of ornamental sawn wood accents.

The Architects

The house was designed by William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie, the namesakes of the Purcell & Elmslie architecture firm. It was the second most commissioned architectural firm for the Prairie School style, with the first being Frank Lloyd Wright himself. Before being dissolved in 1921, P&E had offices in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis.

The Opportunity

The E.S Hoyt House’s practical arrangement, spacious design, and unique aesthetic appeal are truly one-of-a-kind. A real estate treasure such as this is not available on the market often.  To schedule a showing, contact the Barker & Hedges Team at www.barkerhedges.com or call 651-789-5001.