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The Cummins Grill House 1879
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| As the only historic building in Eden Prairie listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the John R. Cummins home sits on Pioneer Trail on the eastern edge of Eden Prairie's Staring Lake Park. Built over a two-year period in the late 1870s, the farm and buildings were purchased by the City from Mildred Grill, wife of Martin Grill who once grew apples and asparagus in what is now land occupied by Flying Cloud Airport. Over the years of City ownership, the property has been used for local events such as Sunbonnet Days in early September, the Cummins Christmas Celebration, and various theatrical productions throughout the year. | |
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The Heritage Preservation Commission, appointed by the City Council, is charged with maintaining and ensuring the integrity of the home and will continue to oversee all maintenance and restoration projects over the years to come. However, in the Spring of 2010, the City and the Eden Prairie Historical Society signed an agreement that permits the Society use and control of the property for the foreseeable future ensuring that the home will remain open and accessible to the public. The Historical Society has initiated the Cummins-Phipps-Grill task force to oversee projects, grant application, and fund raising and selected Jan Mosman, the Vice-President of the Eden Prairie Historical Society, as the chair of the new task force. This is an exciting opportunity that promises to expand the access to future restoration private and grant dollars as well as providing increasing opportunities for the community to experience the home.
John and Mattie Cummins initially bought the land and lived in a log cabin across the street from the present brick home. John built the house himself, hauling every brick by wagon from Chaska and cutting butternut from his property to be milled for the floor, doors, windows, and trim. A walk through the house today reveals the original butternut trim, flooring, field stone rock foundation, and doors and windows.
Check out our website at www.edenprairiehistory.org
Come join us to learn more about Eden Prairie's very own nationally recognized historic property: the Cummins-Phipps-Grill historic homestead! Kathy Case |
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