225-229 1/2 W. 7th Street (corner of Chestnut St.)
Built: 1888
Style: Victorian Romanesque
Built at a cost of $24,000, it's construction was financed by Robert Smith, whose elegant house on the site was razed to make way for this building. Smith first came to St. Paul in 1853 as a private secretary to his brother-in-law, the newly appointed territorial governor, Willis A. Gorman. He then held the position of territorial librarian until 1858, though he was also appointed treasurer of Ramsey County in 1856. Smith served on the City Council in 1883, and in 1887, and was mayor of St. Paul from 1887 to 1902. Smith was a prominent figure in the Demoratic Party, and was also an active St. Paul lawyer, financier, and vice president of Bank of Minnesota. The building is currently occupied by Patrick McGovern's Pub. |
