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[00:00:00.00] [ Sara Scrimshaw ] We’re standing [00:00:00.80] on the sidewalk in front of
432 Summit [00:00:03.20] looking up the walk to the
[00:00:04.52] second oldest house [00:00:05.51] still standing on the Avenue.
[00:00:07.00] When it was built in 1862, [00:00:09.40] there’s a hotel across the
street [00:00:11.30] on Lookout Park right where
we started [00:00:13.50] and there are a total of six
[00:00:14.95] other houses on Summit Avenue. [00:00:16.70] This house was actually here
for fifty [00:00:18.72] years before the University
Club [00:00:20.20] right next door was built.
[00:00:22.00] When the house was built,it had
[00:00:23.84] the latest technology of the time
[00:00:25.60] including gas lighting, hot and cold
[00:00:27.70] running water. And when it was built
[00:00:29.52] in 1862, it cost 22 thousand dollars.
[00:00:32.90] The original owner James Burbank, [00:00:34.70] was a transportation entrepreneur.
[00:00:36.60] He was involved with steamboats [00:00:37.90] and stagecoaches and other
[00:00:39.35] business ventures. Today the house
[00:00:41.75] is frequently referred to as the
[00:00:43.15] Burbank-Livingston-Griggs House [00:00:44.65] named after three of the earliest
[00:00:46.07] residents of the house. [00:00:47.70] Architecturally the house is
[00:00:49.34] considered to be in the Italian Villa
[00:00:51.30] style. Looking at the house, [00:00:53.25] one of the first features of
the style [00:00:55.00] is the low pitched roof.
[00:00:56.50] Low pitched meaning that the roof
[00:00:57.93] is not very steep. Also you can see
[00:01:00.55] decorative brackets what look like
[00:01:02.08] supports just under the roof. [00:01:03.80] Another feature you notice
[00:01:05.80] instantly is the cupola [00:01:06.65] right in the center of the roof.
[00:01:08.30] Now a few changes were made to the
[00:01:10.24] outside of the house over the years
[00:01:11.80] including multiple versions [00:01:13.16] of the front porch and the addition
of [00:01:14.93] those three beautiful round-top
windows [00:01:16.89] to the right of the door in
1884. [00:01:19.00] However, the most extensive
changes [00:01:21.32] actually cannot be seen
[00:01:22.45] from the outside. [00:01:23.50] In 1925 Mary Livingston Griggs
[00:01:26.45] the fifth owner of the house [00:01:27.95] began to make significant changes
[00:01:30.00] on the inside. Mary wanted her [00:01:32.30] house to not only have European
[00:01:33.73] influence but European decoration. [00:01:36.20] She purchased actual rooms
[00:01:38.00] from French and Italian houses [00:01:39.50] that were being demolished and
selling [00:01:41.30] literally everything from the
furniture, [00:01:43.66] the fixtures, to the wall coverings
[00:01:45.48] and so forth into the house. [00:01:47.30] And most of those are now
[00:01:48.57] believed to be forgeries. [00:01:49.80] Can you imagine this house with
each [00:01:51.85] room representing another country?
[00:01:53.70] In the 1930’s she also added an
[00:01:56.32] art deco ballroom in the basement [00:01:58.00] said to be for her teenage daughter’s
[00:01:59.50] birthday party. [00:02:00.50] Wouldn’t you have loved to
be her? [00:02:02.30] In just a moment we’ll proceed
to [00:02:04.00] your right. Feel free to start
walking. [00:02:06.00] You’ll notice just to the
right of the [00:02:07.85] Burbank-Livingston- Griggs House
[00:02:09.30] a little alley-like street called [00:02:10.88] Summit Court. We’re not going
this way [00:02:13.00] but make sure to explore it
on your own. [00:02:14.90] This is one of my favorite spots
[00:02:16.24] in St. Paul hidden away behind [00:02:17.93] the houses on Summit Avenue.
[00:02:19.50] Now let’s move on. Take your time
[00:02:21.90] and I’ll see you again at 516 Summit,
[00:02:24.14] a yellow brick house on the corner of
[00:02:25.85] Summit and Heather. If you’re counting,
[00:02:27.92] it’ll be the eighth house on your left.
[00:02:30.00] While you’re walking, check out
[00:02:31.33] the houses in between. See if you can
[00:02:33.14] name any aspects of the styles we’ve
[00:02:34.49] learned so far. Press on to track four.
[00:02:37.50]