‘Gorgeous’ historic home in Princeton designed by prominent Minnesota architect lists for $600K

For the first time, the historic Dunn home just north of the metro will have an owner outside the family.

Newspaper publisher and politician Robert C. Dunn built the 5,122-square-foot home in 1905, and it’s now on the National Register of Historic Places for its stunning architecture and notable residents, said listing agent Zane Petersen. Prolific Minnesota architect Louis Lockwood designed the house, and it’s one of more than a dozen of his works on the register, including more than a half-dozen on Summit Avenue in St. Paul.

“It is a beautiful home to live in,” said owners Libby and Nathan DunnQuery in an email. “Each of the rooms has its own ambience and gracious detailing. The rooms are spacious, high-ceilinged and cozy. The front porch is made for summers and the fireplaces and library for winters.”

The couple are selling the seven-bedroom, five-bath home for the first time in its 120-year history to live closer to family. The pair hopes to find a buyer who wants to preserve the home’s history. The house sits on a 1-acre estate that occupies two-thirds of a block and includes the property’s original 1880s carriage house.

Situated in the heart of Princeton about an hour north of the Twin Cities, the home is also close to Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.

“It’s such a gorgeous building,” Petersen said. “This is the biggest house in Princeton and is one of the more expensive in town. Because it’s up there in this area, it’s $600,000, but in the cities, you’d see homes like this sell closer to $3 million.”

Dunn immigrated to Princeton from Ireland in 1876 and was later editor and publisher of the Princeton Union Newspaper, now known as the Union-Times, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. His grandson, Robert G. Dunn, later took charge of the home and also served in the Legislature.

“The Dunns were as close to local nobility as one could get in early 20th century Princeton,” said Barry Schreiber, president of the Mille Lacs County Historical Society. “They were committed to the town and ran the newspaper for decades.”

Known as the “father of good roads” Dunn advocated for a new brick depot in the small town in 1902, which developed Princeton to become “this palace on the plains,” Schreiber said. He championed the “Good Roads Movement” in the 1920s that established the Trunk Highway System in the state, Schreiber said.

While the family had a lot of visibility, when it came to their historic home, few were allowed inside. That is, until now. Schreiber was able to tour the home when it was first put on the market.

“They were highly involved in public life, but their home was not to be a place that co-mingled with that,” he said. “They didn’t offer tours of the home until the house went on sale. ... Today, it is one of the most unique properties in Princeton.”

The family has updated the Colonial Revival estate through the years, connecting the property to electrical, sewer and water lines. Plus, there are three gas furnaces and air conditioning throughout the home.

Most recently, the family spent $90,000 to refinish the railing along the home’s front porch and add new pillars that maintained the historic characteristics. They also added a new roof with copper gutters and downspouts consistent with Lockwood’s original vision.

Much of the home is original, right down to the wallpaper the family has never replaced, Petersen said. Because of the numerous original structures, Petersen said he hasn’t been able to hold public open houses since the home is too fragile for many visitors at once.

The house comes with a 116-year-old painting by Dunn’s wife, Lydia, that has hung in the stairway since 1908, Petersen said. Wires attached to the crown molding held up pictures and photos so there are no nail holes in the wall, he said.

It also comes with Dunn’s original desk used during his time in Minnesota’s State Capitol and other heirlooms such as a chest in the library and built-in shelving.

Sinks made out of slabs of marble in the bathrooms, stained glass around the house and fireplace mantels are all original. Plus there are two coal-burning fireplaces, a converted wood-burning tiled fireplace and an original stove in the basement.

A hidden stairway leads from the kitchen to a second living quarters originally used for a live-in butler, Petersen said.

While the home is in great condition, there’s room for more changes. The basement could hold a wine cellar, and a well outside could provide groundwater, Petersen said.

“As people start to build more and more, Princeton is just the next stop,” he said. “Princeton is on the way up to cabin country. If you’re not from around here, you wouldn’t realize how close the drive is to the Cities.”

Zane Petersen 763-843-2905, zane@zanepetersen.com) of Lake Minnetonka Luxury Brokerage, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury has the $600,000 listing.