Historic Home for Sale: E.S. Hoyt House in Red Wing

A piece of Minnesota architectural history is now for sale in Red Wing, Minnesota. The extraordinary E.S. Hoyt House was designed by Minneapolis-based architecture firm of Purcell & Elmslie. To market this unique property, the Barker & Hedges Team with Re/Max Results have been chosen as the listing agents!

The bold, red house at 300 Hill Street in Red Wing, Minnesota, was built in 1913 for E.S. Hoyt, who at the time was president of the nationally-known Red Wing Stoneware Company. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1970s. A variety of exquisite homes have been preserved in this Mississippi River town, but this Prairie School style house is distinguished easily from the crowd of Second Empire, Italianate, Gothic and Greek revivals found nearby. Its distinctive T-shape, hipped roof, and wide eaves still give this century-old house a modern appearance. The exterior has brick on the bottom level and red stucco on the top. Mortar lines, swaths of color, and rows of windows highlight the markedly horizontal features of this Prairie School style home.

The house was designed by William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie, the namesakes of the architectural practice widely known as Purcell & Elmslie (P&E). If the most commissioned architect of the Prairie School style was Frank Lloyd Wright, the firm second most commissioned was P&E. Elmslie had actually worked alongside Wright for several year before joining P&E and was quite recommended by him. During its reign, it had offices in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis.

The two-story, 10-room, 4,000-square-foot Hoyt house is open and spacious, while still providing plenty of privacy. The dwelling’s lower level has the living room, dining room, kitchen, and a library. The living and dining rooms, surrounded in art glass windows, offer splendid views of the Mississippi River. The kitchen is the only room in the house which has been remodeled and upgraded. The home’s second level has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It also includes a business office, areas for domestic workers, and an enclosed porch.

Because the Hoyt House was constructed for a wealthy businessman, P&E’s budget allowed for spending on the home’s finer details. Windows, doors, and bookcases are embellished with diamond-patterned glass panels. Sawn wood ornamentation and intricate wood details fill the rooms of the home. An inspired mosaic panel over the fireplace, which depicts a night sky with the moon and clouds, was created by Minneapolis artist Edward L. Sharretts at his Mosaic Art Studios. According to a biography by Purcell from the 1940s, the Hoyts’ delighted in their home’s distinctive artistic features. Purcell wrote that the Hoyt’s “rather enjoyed the new excitement of being pioneers in art.”

The owners of the E.S. Hoyt House are ready to pass it on to a new buyer. An opportunity like this is rare and whoever buys this piece of history probably won’t want to let it go anytime soon! Including the Hoyts, this home has only changed ownership a few times in its nearly 100 years.

Please view our exclusive listing for the E.S. Hoyt home. To learn more or to schedule a showing, contact us today!