Standing as a symbol of Worthington’s early days, the historic Dayton House’s grand appearance reflects business success in a small prairie town during the late 1800s.
Built for George Draper Dayton, the founder of Dayton’s Departmental Store, in 1890, the house is an Alden Dow designed Georgian Colonial house. It went through several ownerships and became a private nursing home for nearly 50 years before it was rescued by Historic Worthington, Inc., for the purpose of restoring it as a museum and community center. The $2 million restoration was financed by the Dayton family and other private donors. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in early 2004.
River Architects completed an extensive Historic Structure Report to serve as restoration guide, which included building evaluation and recommendations and paint and wallpaper analyses. Original pieces of wallpaper and paint chips were utilized to select the restoration materials while the wallpaper, drapes, and furnishings reflect the period when the Dayton family resided in the home (1890–1902).
The work included restoring a grand central staircase with flanking formal parlors, formal front parlors, cherry woodwork, and massive windows that look out over a wraparound porch. The existing roof was replaced to the original composite, and because of the house had been converted to a nursing home, the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems had to be corrected.
In 2004 the project received a Preservation Award from the Minnesota Preservation Alliance.
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See the Change: Heritage Hall’s East Side
Over the past six months, the east side of UW–Stout’s Heritage Hall has become a visible mix of old and new as renovations continue to transform the 1970s-era academic building. The latest progression photos capture this transition clearly—showing original materials coming down while new elements begin to take shape. Heritage Hall was built at the […]
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Walk Through: UW-Stout Heritage Hall
The renovation of Heritage Hall, one of UW–Stout’s most iconic academic buildings, is underway—and viewers can get a glimpse of what’s changing inside. From modernized classrooms to expanded labs and refreshed collaborative spaces, the video highlights how the university is shaping the future of hands-on learning while honoring the building’s long history. This behind-the-scenes tour […]
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UW-Stout Heritage Hall Breaks Ground
River Architects is excited to break ground on UW-Stout’s Heritage Hall. This three-year, $144.3 million renovation will crack open Heritage Hall and double the number of students it can serve. Expected to be completed in 2028, the interior partitions of the building will be demolished and replaced with state-of-the-art classrooms, replacing its utilities, and refreshing […]
