Overview

The Cattanach House is unique as a small house built of limestone in 1893. 

• Location: 1031 13^th Avenue Southeast
• Neighborhood: Como

Historic profile

The Cattanach House is unique as a small house built of limestone in 1893. This single-family cottage is located near the University of Minnesota. The house was built for and by Donald Cattanach, a mason. He lived here until 1896, before moving to Silver Lake, Minnesota.

The one-and-a-half-story house has rock-faced, random ashlar limestone walls. There is an Eastlake-style porch at the west end of the front elevation. It has turned wood supports and carved bargeboard along the eaves. The first story has a large arched window with a stained glass transom. Most of the windows are rectangular, double-hung, and have limestone sills. The gables on the front elevation have a checkered pattern. Red limestone squares alternate with sandstone squares.  

In the 1800s, stone was mostly used to build industrial and commercial buildings. Because it was expensive, limestone was rarely used on houses, except for foundations.