Breaking Ground on Prestige Property
In 1882, James J. Hill bought three lots on Summit Avenue—real estate that overlooked downtown Saint Paul and the Mississippi River.
The location sold itself. It sat high, with open views and space to build something permanent. At the time, Summit was becoming the most desired street in the city.
Lumber barons, flour mill operators, department store owners—they were all moving in. Hill didn’t want a fashionable home. He wanted a lasting one…