Theodore Wirth House-Administration Building
Encyclopedia
The Theodore Wirth House is a house in Minneapolis
, Minnesota
, United States
, that was home to Theodore Wirth
, an influential architect of the Minneapolis park system. Wirth was superintendent of the Minneapolis park system from 1906 through 1935, when he retired, and he continued to serve as superintendent emeritus until his death in 1949. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2002. The house was recognized for Wirth's status as an international figure in the field of park design, for its role in bringing Wirth to Minneapolis, and for the work he did in the offices where he designed or redesigned the Minneapolis parks.
When Charles Loring originally approached Theodore Wirth to come to Minneapolis in 1905, Wirth was reluctant to accept the offer. His employer at the time, the city of Hartford, Connecticut
, provided Wirth and his family a mansion in Elizabeth Park. Minneapolis did not have a home to provide, and as a civil servant, Wirth was unable to replace that benefit. During the process of negotiations, Loring agreed that the park board would build a home for Wirth. The home was to be located in Lyndale Farmstead Park, where Wirth could be inspired by watching park users. Wirth agreed to these terms and moved to Minneapolis in 1906. The house was designed by local architect Lowell Lamoreaux.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that was home to Theodore Wirth
Theodore Wirth
Theodore Wirth was instrumental in designing the Minneapolis system of parks. Swiss-born, he was widely regarded as the dean of the local parks movement in America. The various titles he was given included administrator of parks, horticulturalist, and park planner. Before emigrating to America...
, an influential architect of the Minneapolis park system. Wirth was superintendent of the Minneapolis park system from 1906 through 1935, when he retired, and he continued to serve as superintendent emeritus until his death in 1949. The house was 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...
in 2002. The house was recognized for Wirth's status as an international figure in the field of park design, for its role in bringing Wirth to Minneapolis, and for the work he did in the offices where he designed or redesigned the Minneapolis parks.
When Charles Loring originally approached Theodore Wirth to come to Minneapolis in 1905, Wirth was reluctant to accept the offer. His employer at the time, the city of Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, provided Wirth and his family a mansion in Elizabeth Park. Minneapolis did not have a home to provide, and as a civil servant, Wirth was unable to replace that benefit. During the process of negotiations, Loring agreed that the park board would build a home for Wirth. The home was to be located in Lyndale Farmstead Park, where Wirth could be inspired by watching park users. Wirth agreed to these terms and moved to Minneapolis in 1906. The house was designed by local architect Lowell Lamoreaux.