The house that Cass built

Because she has lived in the house for 45 years, Bette Johnson admits she isn't overwhelmed by its historical value.
"It's just a house," she laughs.
But the house located on the corner of Second and Jackson Streets in Minneota is more than just a house.
The "Anderson Home" as it was originally referred to when famous architect Cass Gilbert designed it for oil tycoon J.S. Anderson in 1896, was included on the National Register of Historic Places in April of 1982, joining the St. Paul's Lutheran Church and the Big Store in Minneota.
Gilbert assigned local carpenters P.P. Jokull of Minneota and F. Maynard of Marshall to construct the Queen Anne/Colonial Revival mansion.
Gilbert also designed the Minnesota State Capitol, as well as the Arkansas and West Virginia State Capitols, the United States Supreme Court building and the St. Louis Art Museum and Public Library, among numerous other structures.
Anderson, a wealthy Icelandic immigrant, sought Gilbert to be the architect for his home in Minneota. The original home which still consists of beautiful wood moldings, ornate fireplace and china cabinet, a three-story octagonal tower, and a three-foot thick foundation was built for only a little over $8,000, according to county records.
When the home went up for sale in 1975, Johnson did some research to find out what the previous owner, Lucille Fadness, had paid for it. When she discovered the amount Fadness paid, Johnson bid the same amount.
"I was told that they needed another $1,000, so I raised my bid to $17,000 and I got it," she said, knowing that price surprises most people.
Today's market value on the home is nearly 10 times that amount.
"Look at the detail on the carving here on the fireplace (surround)," she said, pointing to the beautiful hand-carvings. "That's probably my favorite thing in the house. The columns are similar to what's in the state capitol."J.S. Anderson's home featured large dining and living rooms, master and guest bedrooms with huge closets, enclosed porches, parlor, smoke room, sitting room, pantry, kitchen and more.
Anderson lived in the home two only two years before moving to the west coast. Bjarni Jones and his wife Stefanie (J.S. Anderson's sister) then owned the home for a number of years before selling it to local banker S.E. Erickson.
Erickson sold the house to Michael F. Ahern, another banker. Ole Werpy then became owner in 1937 and remained there until Fadness purchased it.
In a Mascot article in 1975, shortly after Johnson bought the home, Don Werpy, Ole's son, recalled his time living in the home. Werpy was only nine years old when his family moved into the home and made it into a duplex in 1937. It originally had a large porch along the front and a screened sleeping porch over the car garage, Werpy told.
The entry was approximately 20 feet tall and was bordered with a stairway that opened on each level. There were bells to ring for maids, as well as gas pipes in the walls for the gas lamps. A tall gas lamp was in the cupola of the tower was designed to aid travelers during a snowstorm, much like a lighthouse is used on seas to help ships navigate in fog.
Werpy also noted that there was a 300-gallon water tank situated in the 14-foot high attic. In the basement, there was a well, three cisterns, and a mercury furnace.
Much of the original workings inside the home remain today and are in excellent shape. Johnson rents out the west side of the house and lives on the east side. It is easy to see the house was built with quality materials as it is structurally sound.
The octagonal tower that can be seen over the top of the house several blocks away immediately draws your attention. No other home in town or anywhere in the area has a tower such as this. It features tall narrow windows on the side and a glassed area at the top capped by a pointed concave roof with a weather vane.
"The stairs that were used to climb the tower were taken out before I bought it," Johnson said. "It's not used for anything now. There's just a big ladder there now."
It may just be a house to Johnson, but it's also her home.
"I've had people asking to buy it," she said, smiling. "But I don't want to sell it."
Note: While J.S. Anderson lived in Minneota, he purchased 400 young elm trees and donated them to city to be planted around town to decorate the streets.