Florence Court

Individual Landmark

1976

2006

Address: 1022 University Avenue S.E.

Neighborhood: Marcy Holmes

Construction Date: 1886

Contractor: Jeremiah Spear

Architect: Jeremiah Spear

Architectural Style: Queen Anne

Historic Use: Private Residences

Current Use: Private Residences

Date of Local Designation: 1983

Date of National Register Designation: N/A

Area(s) of Significance: Community Planning

Period of Significance: 1800-1899

Historic Profile: Florence Court is recognized as an excellent example of early urban planning in Minneapolis. The rowhouses, planned around an interior courtyard, are the earliest surviving example of its type in Minneapolis. Jeremiah Spear, a carpenter, is believed to have completed the design and woodworking for the rowhouses. Although all the units are part of one building, each is given an individual identity by architectural details. For example, while some units have paned bay windows, others have Romanesque style front entrances and oriole windows on the second floor. The early residents of Florence Court were typically middle-class families including faculty from the University of Minnesota. The apartments have been subdivided, making them suitable for students.

Photo Credits:

1976, rear façade (from 2^nd Street), courtesy of Minneapolis Public Libraries

2006, Minneapolis CPED

Works Cited:

“National Register of Historic Places – Nomination Form,” June 1981.

Updated: February 2007