Construction of the James J. Hill House was finished in 1891. The red sandstone family residence of the Hills had been the most expensive and largest in the state’s Gilded Age. The property covered an area of 36,00 square feet and boasted five stories that had, among other things, a hundred-foot reception hall, a 2-floor sky-lit art gallery, sixteen crystal chandeliers, and thirteen bathrooms.

The property had been the Hills’ home for over thirty decades. During that time, it had boasted of state-of-the-art facilities, including electric lighting, central gas and heating, and the very best communication and security systems.

In 1925, members of the family acquired rights to the mansion and presented it to St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese. It served as the archdiocese’s residence, school, and office building for half a century before rights to the property had came to the hands of the Minnesota Historical Society.

In 1961, it had been listed as a National Historic Landmark.