Cordenio Severance House
Encyclopedia
The Cordenio Severance House is a mansion in Cottage Grove, Minnesota
built for attorney Cordenio Severance
. The mansion, also known as Cedarhurst, was first built as a simple country farm house shortly after the American Civil War
. It was expanded in 1886 to serve as the summer residence of the Severance family. Between 1911 and 1917, additions designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert
expanded the house into a mansion with 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) and 26 rooms. It has two neoclassical
columned portico
es, a 100 feet (30.5 m) veranda, a formal ballroom with a pipe organ, three fireplaces, and an English rose garden. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Cordenio Severance was well-connected politically. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt
, Warren G. Harding
, Calvin Coolidge
and William Howard Taft
all visited the mansion, and Central Intelligence Agency
meetings were once held in the library. The mansion also hosted international policy meetings.
The house is now owned by True Thao and his family. They have restored the mansion, which hosts weddings, receptions, and business meetings.
Cottage Grove, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,582 people, 9,932 households, and 8,462 families residing in the city. The population density was 899.9 people per square mile . There were 10,024 housing units at an average density of 295.0 per square mile...
built for attorney Cordenio Severance
Cordenio Severance
Cordenio Arnold Severance was an American lawyer from Minnesota. He co-founded the American Law Institute and served as President of the American Bar Association....
. The mansion, also known as Cedarhurst, was first built as a simple country farm house shortly after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was expanded in 1886 to serve as the summer residence of the Severance family. Between 1911 and 1917, additions designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert
- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
expanded the house into a mansion with 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) and 26 rooms. It has two neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
columned portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
es, a 100 feet (30.5 m) veranda, a formal ballroom with a pipe organ, three fireplaces, and an English rose garden. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Cordenio Severance was well-connected politically. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
, Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
all visited the mansion, and Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
meetings were once held in the library. The mansion also hosted international policy meetings.
The house is now owned by True Thao and his family. They have restored the mansion, which hosts weddings, receptions, and business meetings.