Historic Minneapolis mansion boasts a library, carriage house and 'outstanding' woodwork

The original owner of a stately brick house in Minneapolis made his fortune in the lumber business — and it shows.

There's floor-to-ceiling woodwork in multiple rooms, and oodles of built-ins, from buffets to bookcases to cozy seating nooks.

That's what sold Michael Hill and Luc Mongeon on the place when they bought it nearly two decades ago.

"The woodwork was outstanding," Hill said. "All this wonderful wood — the library, the living room, even built-in seating on the landing of the grand staircase."

Now on the market for $950,000, "It's a very stately, stunning home," said Edina Realty agent Laurie Vinge. "You can feel the history."

That history began in 1908 when Frederick H. Carpenter hired prominent Chicago architects to design the grand 6,100-square-foot house. At that time, the Whittier neighborhood was just beginning to be developed. An early historical photo of the house showed "not a tree in sight — it was prairie land," said Hill.

In their Tudor-style home, the Carpenters hosted teas and parties that frequently made the Society pages of the Minneapolis Tribune. After Carpenter died, his widow lived in the house until 1957, when it was sold to a law firm.

Many of the home's original features were still in good shape, including vintage sconces and even the silk wall covering in the dining room.

But other aspects of the house needed considerable work. Hill and Mongeon restored 137 windows, regraded around the foundation and put in drain tile, and repaired the slate roof.

They gutted and remodeled two of the five bathrooms — "in period style, but operational," Hill said.

In the kitchen, they pulled up seven layers of linoleum and other flooring to reveal the original wood floor underneath, which they refinished. They also added an Aga stove.

Some of the home's features were ahead of their time, including an original tiled shower, unusual in an era when bathtubs were the norm.

All of the four bedrooms on the second floor have good-sized closets, also unusual for the era. Even the five servants' bedrooms on the third floor have small closets. "Forward-thinking," said Hill. There's also a third-floor kitchenette, plus a separate servants' staircase.

The house comes with a 1,700-foot, three-bedroom carriage house that Hill and Mongeon have been renting out for $1,500 a month.

Now the couple has decided to move to San Diego where they own a condo. "It's been a long labor of love," said Hill of their home. He'll miss the wood-paneled library and the multiple rooms for entertaining on a grand scale. They've comfortably hosted everything from murder-mystery parties to huge holiday gatherings, Hill said. "We've had some great parties."

Laurie Vinge, 612-207-8165, Edina Realty, has the listing.