A Minneapolis mansion is one of the country’s cultural and architectural gems.
The Turnblad Mansion is the crown jewel of the American Swedish Institute.
“The mansion has a lot of different secrets,” Inga Theisen with the American Swedish Institute said. “It’s never quite what you think it is. It still manages to surprise me.”
The mansion dates back to when Swan Turnblad immigrated to Minnesota from Sweden. After making his money as the owner of the largest Swedish newspaper in America, Turnblad built a mansion on Park Avenue, which was known as Minneapolis’ Golden Mile.
“Park Avenue was the big street to put your house on and to build here,” Theisen said.
The 33-room home cost $1.5 million to build, about $50 million in today’s dollars.
It took four years to complete. Turnblad, his wife Christina, and daughter Lillian moved into their new home in 1908.
“To have these Swedish immigrants’ new money coming in and building this big house, he was definitely trying to make a social statement about his status and Swedish-American community at that time,” Theisen said.
After living in the home for a short time, Turnblad donated the building and property to help create the American Swedish Institute.
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