James and Minnesota Macleod House 485 Summit Avenue

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The house at 485 Summit was built in 1907 for James and Minnesota “Minne” Macleod. The home is Tudor in style and was designed by James Macleod, who made a living as an architect. Built for a cost of $12,500, the brick and timber building has had many changes to the exterior over the years. In 1911 the architectural firm of “Reed and Stem” designed a two-story addition for the home, and in 1922 a sleeping porch and sunroom were added.

James Alan Macleod was born in Minneapolis on September 27th, 1870. He grew up in Minneapolis and was educated in the public school system. By the age of 17 he was working in an architect’s office where he began learning the trade. In 1891 he moved to Denver, Colorado where he entered his career as a full-time architect, and moved back to Minneapolis a year later to continue working as an independent architect. In 1894 James became a member of the firm of Macleod and Lamoreaux, and worked on many contracts in Minneapolis.

On January 16th, 1896, James Macleod married Minnesota Beatrice Shiffman. Minnesota was a daughter of the wealthy patent medicine manufacturer Rudolph Shiffman. Once James became an active architect in Saint Paul, he and his wife decided to invest in a home on Summit Avenue in 1907. The lot the chose to build upon was next door to Minnesota’s parents residence located at 495 Summit Avenue. The Macleods did not live on Summit Avenue for long, and sold it in 1910. James continued working as an architect, but died at the age of 41 in his apartment in Lowrey Hill, while his wife and children were living in Pasadena, California. Today the Macleod family home on Summit Avenue is a private residence.