John H. Stevens House Museum

The John H. Stevens House is a modest Greek Revival structure, recognizable by its simple wood cladding, rectangular windows, and prominent eave returns. Built in eighteen forty-nine, it holds the distinction of being the first authorized wood-frame home on the west bank of the Mississippi River, established by John H. Stevens in exchange for operating a ferry service at Saint Anthony Falls. Because so many foundational civic events—including the naming of Minneapolis and the organization of Hennepin County—occurred within its walls, the house is frequently called the birthplace of the city.