Education Restoration Preservation

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Recent posts:

Healy Block Residential Historic District – 3137 Second Ave So: Healy-Forbes House Healy Block Residential Historic District – Architecture Healy Block Residential Historic District – an Introduction Anders Christensen Receives Preservation Alliance of Minnesota Executive Director’s Award Anders Christensen’s Remarks on Receiving Preservation Alliance of Minnesota Award Healy Project Fundraiser at the Lowbrow, May 7th Winter Party Fundraiser December 2017 Talk: Preservation Advocacy, August 17th Open House at 1300 Mount Curve Avenue East Lake of the Isles Walking Tour May 21st New Research on the “Lost” Healy Block: Tour May 7th A Presentation on Master Builders Ingham and Parsons, Saturday, March 18th. Healy Project Winter Party Henry Ingham’s Yorkshire Healy Project Fundraiser at the Lowbrow, May 9th Healy Block Historic District Tour: April 17th Healy Project Holiday Old House Reception CANCELED–Healy Block Historic District Walking Tour–November 8 More Hauntings: Houses Built by Henry Ingham Healy House Hauntings Tour Intro to the History of the North Wedge North Wedge Architectural Walking Tour, October 3rd Healy Phoenix #2 Healy Phoenix #1 Report on the Event: A Great Dinner for a Good Cause A Child’s View of T.P. Healy’s Family Big Win for Healy Block Residents: Revised I-35W Expansion Plan T.P. Healy: Farmer, Commission Merchant & Wholesale Grocer in Nova Scotia Open April 25th: Restored 1885 House in Wedge Learn from the Past, Learn from the Present Grandstanding and Stonewalling at City Hall: Trashing the Public Trust Orth House Demolition An Open Letter to Minneapolis City Council Regarding the Orth House Demolition The Truth Will Out II: More Lies That Brought Down 2320 Colfax Avenue South The Truth Will Out: Lies that Brought Down 2320 Colfax Avenue South Judge Denies Injunction against Wrecking 2320 Colfax Avenue South Poisoning the Well: Testimony about 2320 Colfax Avenue South “City Ghosts” Visit Victorian House Historic North Wedge Walking Tour: Sunday, September 7th Combining New and Old: A New Vision for the Orth House A Place That Matters Healy Project Files Suit to Stop Demolition of the Orth House Happy Earth Day, Zero-Credibility City of Minneapolis Stop Demolition: Allow a designation study for the Orth House Perverting New Urbanism II: Greenwashing Demolition Perverting New Urbanism for Fun and Profit Size Matters: Development at Franklin-Lyndale DEN$ITY: Building Utopia in Gopher City Hypocrisy at City Hall: Planning Department Scorns Sustainable Development Déjà Vu All Over Again: Threats to Healy Houses Renewed Healy Project Special Kickoff Tour Saving Private Houses In Landmark Decision, City Council Stops Demolition of 2320 Colfax Avenue South What’s the Greenest Building? Who Lives in Lowry Hill East? Revoltin’ Developments VI: What You Can Do Revoltin’ Developments V: Sappy Citizens and Maudlin Attachments Revoltin’ Developments IV: Density and City Planning Revoltin’ Developments III: Density and Livability Revoltin’ Developments II: Healy Houses in the Wedge Revoltin’ Developments, Part I Healy Descendant Acquires the Bennett-McBride House On Memorial Day Lost Healys on the Healy Block More Lost Healys The Broom House: 3111 Second Avenue South More on Round Hill Happy Birthday, T.P. The Edmund G. Babbidge House: 3120 Third Avenue South Brightening the Corner: 3101 Second Avenue South 2936 Portland Avenue The Andrew H. Adams House: 3107 Second Avenue South Clones: 2932 Park and 1425 Dupont North The J.B. Hudson House: 3127 Second Avenue South Second Healy Family Home: 3131 Second Avenue South Schlocked: ‎2639-41 Bryant Avenue South 1976 Sheridan Avenue South: Preserved Exterior The William L. Summer House, 3145 Second Avenue South Two More in the Wedge Weapon of Mass Healy Destruction: I-35W Construction The Third: Healy Builds in the Wedge The Second: 3139 Second Avenue South Healy’s First House: 3137 Second Avenue South Anders Christensen, T.P.Healy, and the Healy Project

Healy Descendant Acquires the Bennett-McBride House

Healy Block residents, fans of T.P. Healy, preservationists, and activists in the Central Neighborhood are celebrating the acquisition today of the famous Bennett-McBride House at 3116 Third Avenue South by Healy’s great-grandson, John Cuningham.  Cuningham, a grandson of Healy’s eldest daughter Alice, is a prominent Minneapolis architect (http://www.cuningham.com/).  Thanks to a concerted effort by the previous owners and members of the Healy Project, including Anders Christensen, Madeline Douglass, Connie Nompelis, Brian Finstad, and David Piehl, Cuningham closed on the house today. 
     This justly celebrated Queen Anne was the first Healy-built house to be recognized as a superb example of the style.  In 1977 the Bennett-McBride House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, heralding the historic designation in 1995 of the other thirteen Healy houses on that block as the Healy Block Historic District.
The building permit:
3116 Third Ave. So.                                             B25076
30 X 60 Frame dwelling                                  4-24-91/ 8-1-91
Owner:  Henry H. Bennett
Architect: 
Builder:                                                          Est. cost: $5,000.
       Healy’s name is not on the permit, which was taken out by the first owner, Henry Harrison Bennett, owner of the lumber yard that bore his name.  The second owner, John M. McBride, operated a grocery story at 3045 Nicollet Avenue and lived in the house until his death in 1943.  Subsequent owners have taken good care of the house, which boasts most of its original millwork inside and out.  At the rear of the house is the original barn, complete with cupola.
The north side, showing typical Healy dormer and second-story balcony.  The missing balusters on the porch were kicked out by an intoxicated man––but saved for future replacements. Amazingly, most of the exterior woodwork is original.
Detail of the front porch: the ball-and-stick fretwork and stained glass windows.
The south side, showing the barn (one of the few unchanged Healy barns still standing) and the back porch.
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John Cuningham and Anders Christensen celebrate the former’s acquiring the Bennett-McBride House (house next door in background), June 28, 2012 (photo by M. Douglass)

 –T.B.