In the 1930s, the Hamm's brewing family commissioned Clarence Johnston Sr. to build a Georgian Revival in St. Paul on a sprawling 2-acre property.
The picturesque property on Crocus Hill has changed hands infrequently over the years. Now, after three decades, Bonnie and Jim D'Aquila are ready to turn over the property to the fourth generation of homeowners. They've put the 10,000-square-foot, eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom house on the market.
"It will be sad to move out, but on the other hand, it gives someone else the chance to have this wonderful experience," Jim said. "[We moved here because] we were struck by the history of the home. And this yard was extraordinarily private and plentiful."
A history of Minnesota royalty
According to the book "Minnesota Architect: The Life and Work of Clarence H. Johnston" by Paul Clifford Larson, the home was the last known work of Johnston, who died the year the house was built. Its grand scale is in line with other Johnston-designed residences such as the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth and estates on Summit Avenue.
The D'Aquilas have appreciated the rich history of the home, made even richer when the couple, who are active in the arts community, met the original owner.
The home was built for Theodora "Pinkie" Lang, the granddaughter of Hamm's founder Theodore Hamm and the daughter of William Hamm Sr., who succeeded his father in the family business.
Like Pinkie, the D'Aquilas are art lovers and happened to run into her at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.