Philander Prescott House
Individual Landmark
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Address: 4458-60 Snelling Avenue South
Original Address: 4440 Minnehaha Avenue South (moved in 1910)
Neighborhood: Hiawatha
Construction Date: 1852
Contractor: Willis G. Moffet
Architect: Willis G. Moffet
Architectural Style: Greek Revival
Historic Use: Private Residence
Current Use: Demolished in 1980
Date of Local Designation: 1975
Date of National Register Designation: N/A
Area(s) of Significance: Significant Person
Period of Significance: 1852 - 1980
Historic Profile: Philander Prescott was one of Minnesota’s most significant pioneers responsible for the settlement of the upper-Midwest. It is said that during his long career in Minnesota, he built and lived in the original structure of what is now a two-story frame and stone house on Snelling Avenue. As trader and worker for the Columbia Fur Company, Prescott played an active role in establishing and settling Minnesota. His close association with the Dakota Indians, as well as his marriage to a Sioux chief’s daughter, qualified him for the position of supervisor of farming for the Sioux under the authority of Major Taliferro, Indian agent at Fort Snelling. The Prescott House, a two-story frame house executed in a Greek Revival mode, had an open veranda running the length of the front façade. The house was moved in 1910 to a new location on Snelling Avenue, however was razed in 1980.
Photo Credits:
1975, Lynne Van Brocklin, courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society
1910, water color painting of Philander Prescott, courtesy of Mrs. Eli Pettijolm
Works Cited:
"National Register of Historic Preservation – Nomination Form," March 1975.
Updated: February 2007
Last updated Nov. 23, 2011