St. Paul's historic Landmark Center, completed in 1902, originally served as the United States Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House for the state of Minnesota. It was designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke, who served as Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department in 1891–92. Edbrooke designed a body of public architecture, much of which, like this structure, was completed after his 1896 death. Landmark Center stands at 75 West Fifth Street in Rice Park and is now an arts and culture center.
The exterior is pink granite ashlar with a hipped red tile roof, steeply pitched to shed snow and adorned by numerous turrets, gables and dormers with steeply peaked roofs; cylindrical corner towers with conical turrets occupy almost every change of projection. There are two massive towers, one of which houses a clock. The exterior is almost devoid of carved detail. The interior features a five-story courtyard with skylight and rooms with 20-foot ceilings, appointed with marble and carved mahogany and oak finishes. Its Romanesque Revival architecture is similar to Edbrooke's Old Post Office Building in Washington D.C.
In the 1970s, a citizens' group saved the building from demolition and, guided by supervising architect Donald (Don) J. Leier,[4] an expert in restoration architecture, restored it to its previous grandeur. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and reopened to the public as Landmark Center in 1978.
The Landmark Center Cortile in the space that formerly housed St. Paul's Main Post Office
After its comprehensive 1972–78 renovation, the center became home to many prominent Twin Cities arts organizations, now including:
Landmark Gallery – permanent and temporary exhibits from its local history collection
"Uncle Sam Worked Here", a permanent interactive exhibit opened in 2007 about activities in Landmark Center over its history[5]
Exhibition space for music, dance, theater, and public forums.[2]
For a time the high school St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists also held classes on the fifth floor. It has since moved to 16 West 5th Street. The fifth floor now houses the offices of the American Composers Forum.
Owned by Ramsey County, Landmark Center is managed by Minnesota Landmarks, a not-for-profit organization. Landmark Center also houses Anita's Cafe, Landmarket Gift Shop, and five galleries.
In popular cultureedit
The building served as the location of Frank Bass (Ed Asner)'s office in the 1974 film The Wrestler.
landmark, center, paul, building, boston, landmark, center, boston, paul, historic, landmark, center, completed, 1902, originally, served, united, states, post, office, courthouse, custom, house, state, minnesota, designed, willoughby, edbrooke, served, superv. For the building in Boston see Landmark Center Boston St Paul s historic Landmark Center completed in 1902 originally served as the United States Post Office Courthouse and Custom House for the state of Minnesota It was designed by Willoughby J Edbrooke who served as Supervising Architect of the U S Treasury Department in 1891 92 Edbrooke designed a body of public architecture much of which like this structure was completed after his 1896 death Landmark Center stands at 75 West Fifth Street in Rice Park and is now an arts and culture center Old Federal Courts BuildingU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of MinnesotaShow map of the United StatesLocation75 5th Street WestSaint Paul MinnesotaCoordinates44 56 44 N 93 5 50 W 44 94556 N 93 09722 W 44 94556 93 09722Built1894 1901ArchitectWilloughby J EdbrookeArchitectural styleRichardsonian RomanesqueNRHP reference No 69000076 1 Added to NRHPMarch 24 1969The exterior is pink granite ashlar with a hipped red tile roof steeply pitched to shed snow and adorned by numerous turrets gables and dormers with steeply peaked roofs cylindrical corner towers with conical turrets occupy almost every change of projection There are two massive towers one of which houses a clock The exterior is almost devoid of carved detail The interior features a five story courtyard with skylight and rooms with 20 foot ceilings appointed with marble and carved mahogany and oak finishes Its Romanesque Revival architecture is similar to Edbrooke s Old Post Office Building in Washington D C John Dillinger s girlfriend Evelyn Frechette Alvin Creepy Karpis Doc Barker and other members of the Barker Karpis gang were tried in the building when it served as a federal courthouse 2 3 Judges Walter Henry Sanborn and John B Sanborn Jr kept their chambers here while serving on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals U S Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun worked in the building as a law clerk to the younger Sanborn in 1932 33 In the 1970s a citizens group saved the building from demolition and guided by supervising architect Donald Don J Leier 4 an expert in restoration architecture restored it to its previous grandeur It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and reopened to the public as Landmark Center in 1978 The Landmark Center Cortile in the space that formerly housed St Paul s Main Post OfficeAfter its comprehensive 1972 78 renovation the center became home to many prominent Twin Cities arts organizations now including American Association of Woodturners and the AAW Gallery of Wood Art Ramsey County Historical Society Gallery and Research Center changing exhibits and research area for local history topics The Schubert Club Museum of musical instruments Landmark Gallery permanent and temporary exhibits from its local history collection Uncle Sam Worked Here a permanent interactive exhibit opened in 2007 about activities in Landmark Center over its history 5 Exhibition space for music dance theater and public forums 2 For a time the high school St Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists also held classes on the fifth floor It has since moved to 16 West 5th Street The fifth floor now houses the offices of the American Composers Forum Owned by Ramsey County Landmark Center is managed by Minnesota Landmarks a not for profit organization Landmark Center also houses Anita s Cafe Landmarket Gift Shop and five galleries In popular culture editThe building served as the location of Frank Bass Ed Asner s office in the 1974 film The Wrestler References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 a b landmark Center Yahoo Travel Yahoo Retrieved 2007 06 25 The Landmark Center Citiesarchitecture com Retrieved 2007 06 25 Landmark Stories of a Place by Billie Young St Paul Minn Minnesota Landmarks 2002 MNHS call number F613 S8 L369 2002 Uncle Sam Worked Here landmarkcenter org External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Landmark Center St Paul Minnesota Official website Photos of Federal Courts Building at the MNHS Photos of U S Post Office at the MNHS Ramsey County Historical Society Press article from the St Paul Pioneer Press about the Uncle Sam Worked Here exhibit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Landmark Center St Paul amp oldid 1169229462, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
