James L. Lawther House

Infobox_nrhp | name =James L. Lawther House
nrhp_type =

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caption =
location= 927 W. 3rd St., Red Wing, Minnesota
lat_degrees = 44
lat_minutes = 33
lat_seconds = 44
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 92
long_minutes = 32
long_seconds = 25
long_direction = W
locmapin = Minnesota
area =
built =1857
architect= Unknown
architecture= Octagon Mode
added = May 21, 1975cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum=75000982

The James L. Lawther House is an octagon house in Red Wing, Minnesota. The owner, James Lawther, built it after he visited Dubuque, Iowa and toured the Langworthy House there. At the time, the Langworthy House was the grandest house of its type on the upper Mississippi River. The Lawther House was built in 1857, with an addition in 1870. [cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Roger G.|title=Historic Homes of Minnesota|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|date=2006|pages=pp. 131-132|id=ISBN 0-87351-557-9] Its location, at the corner of Third and Hill Streets, has been termed "one of the most architecturally significant intersections in Minnesota" and is part of the Red Wing Residential Historic District. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

James Lawther was a successful businessman and merchant in Red Wing. Besides the house, he built the Gladstone Building in downtown. He also contributed to civic causes such as the Carnegie-Lawther Library, the YMCA, and the park on Barn Bluff. The Gladstone Building is listed on the National Register, and the library is a contributing property to the Red Wing Mall Historic District.cite web|url=http://www.red-wing.org/files/planning/HistoricWalkingTour.pdf|title=Footsteps through Red Wing: Three Walking Tours of Red Wing's Historic Architecture|publisher=City of Red Wing|accessdate=2008-06-18]

Now serving as a bed and breakfast, the all-brick home features an ornate cupola and central chimney. [cite web| last = Travis| first = Dale| title = Minnesota Round Barns List| date = March 10, 2008| url = http://www.dalejtravis.com/rblist/rbmn.htm| accessdate =2008-06-20]

References