If you were born and raised in the North Star State, you probably know where the nicest homes can be found. The Lake Minnetonka area, with towns like Orono, Wayzata and Shorewood are where some of the most lavish houses in the entire state are located.
But, the biggest homes ever built in the state aren’t in any of these communities. In fact, there’s two distinct buildings that vie for the title of “Biggest House Ever Built in Minnesota”. Let’s take a look at the contenders.
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Recently, This House took a look at the biggest home ever built in every state and what they found is quite remarkable. According to the video, there are two choices, when it comes to the “Biggest House” in Minnesota.
The Charles Gates Mansion, built in Minneapolis in 1913, by tycoon Charles Gates, who made his money in barbed wire, railroads and oil, was an astonishing 38,0000 square feet. It featured over 40 rooms and was noted as the first residence in the United States to have air conditioning installed. Sadly, the home was torn down in the 1930s.
The other contender for “Biggest House” is in the other Twin City of St. Paul. Built in 1891, the James J. Hill mansion stands at over 36,000 square feet and is still standing to this very day. However, some consider the Hill home to be the biggest in the state’s history, as it had an additional 6,000 square feet of unfinished living space…