Going old school (not by choice) and an old Church

Forgot the gps so we went a little old school using an Atlas that was given to Bob as a gift as we undertook this full-timing adventure. It worked ok from breakfast to JC Penneys, but from Penneys to our intended destination of the James J Hill House, not so good.

Since we knew the general area we headed off to Hill House and soon discovered that Hill House is the only historical place that we know of that does not have some sort of sign. So we drove past it of course and called them on the phone for directions. We would have been late for the 1p tour so we went to the Cathedral of St. Paul which is set dramatically on Summit Hill a short walking distance from the Hill House.

We are so glad that we did. The Cathedral, the fourth largest in the USA and the fourth Cathedral of Saint Paul in the area was impressive. One of the finest examples of Beaux Arts architecture, the Cathedral was designed by Emmanuel Louis Masqueray. The cornerstone was laid on June 2, 1907 and they made sure the Cathedral was higher than the nearby Capitol Building which was completed in 1905. It was placed on the National Register of Historical Buildings in 1974. The Cathedral is also designated as the National Shrine to St. Paul, the patron Saint of the Diocese.

The tour of the Cathedral was just starting so we joined the group. An energetic tour guide described the history of the Cathedral and the interior with all the statues, stained glass, chapels, etc. We really enjoy touring the old churches and this one now tops our list. The pictures do not do justice, you just have to see it yourself.


Photos of the Cathedral have been added to Flickr.com



Till next time,


Bob and Jo