Eastcliff is a 20-room house overlooking the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
in
St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, which serves as the official residence of the president of the
University of Minnesota system
The University of Minnesota system is a public university system with five campuses spread across the U.S. state of Minnesota.
The university system has five campuses, in the Twin Cities, Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester. The univers ...
. It was first built in 1922 by local lumber magnate
Edward Brooks Sr. and donated to the university by the Brooks family in 1958, beginning its service as the president's official residence in 1960 when
O. Meredith Wilson took the position. In 2000, the home was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. Today, it is the most-visited public residence in the state (outpacing the
Minnesota Governor's Residence
The Minnesota Governor's Residence, informally referred to as the Governor's Mansion, serves as the official home of the governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The house, located at 1006 Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, is on of land. The buil ...
), often hosting events five days a week. 6,800 people were recorded attending 159 events in 2005.
The building was designed in the
Georgian colonial
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Geo ...
style by
Clarence H. Johnston Sr., a close friend of Brooks and an
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
who had designed many buildings at the university to fit a master plan by
Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert (November 24, 1859 – May 17, 1934) was an American architect. An early proponent of skyscrapers, his works include the Woolworth Building, the United States Supreme Court building, the state capitols of Minnesota, Arkansas and ...
. Numerous renovations took place over the years, though repair efforts did not keep pace with wear and tear. In 1988, extensive repairs began on the house, but unforeseen problems caused costs to double. The ensuing outcry contributed to the exit of president
Kenneth Keller from office.
The following is a list of university presidents who have resided at Eastcliff:
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O. Meredith Wilson
*
Malcolm Moos
Malcolm Charles Moos (April 19, 1916 – January 28, 1982) was an American political scientist, speechwriter and academic administrator. He was a professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University for two decades. As a speechwriter, Moos w ...
*
C. Peter Magrath
*
Kenneth Keller
*
Nils Hasselmo
*
Mark Yudof
Mark George Yudof (born October 30, 1944) is an American law professor and academic administrator. He is a former president of the University of California (2008-2013), former chancellor of the University of Texas System (2002–2008), and former ...
*
Robert H. Bruininks
*
Eric W. Kaler
*
Joan T.A. Gabel
See also
*
*
References
*
External links
University of Minnesota: EastcliffThe Minnesota Daily: In Eastcliff mansion, Kalers share space with publicMPR News: This old University of Minnesota house: a peek inside EastcliffMinnpost: With new U president installed, time for Eastcliff FAQ
{{National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota
Colonial Revival architecture in Minnesota
Houses completed in 1922
Houses in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota
National Register of Historic Places in Saint Paul, Minnesota
University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota
University of Minnesota