Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who was the house built for originally?
A. Horace Hills Irvine, a St. Paul lumberman and lawyer, for his family's home.

Q. When was it built?
A. The first building permit was issued in 1910 and construction was completed in 1912.

Q. How many children have lived there? 
A. A total of 26: Four Irvines and, as of 2010, 22 First Family children.

Q. What year did the house become the official residence of the Governor?
A. In 1965, Clotilde Irvine Moles and Olivia Irvine Dodge, the youngest Irvine daughters, donated the house and property to the State of Minnesota. Horace Hills Irvine died in 1947 and Mrs. Irvine remained at the Residence until her death in 1964.

Q. How many staff members work at the Governor's Residence?
A. Five: manager, assistant manager, chef, housekeeper and groundskeeper.

Q. How many acres of land?
A. 1.5

Q. What was the original cost?
A. A total of $57,000: $7,000 for the land and $50,000 for the original structures.

Q. How many square feet are in the Residence?
A. Slightly over 16,000 square feet today. The original house was 14,706 square feet, but the Irvines enjoyed the Solarium so much that they doubled its size in 1922.

Q. How many bedrooms and bathrooms?
A. Nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms

Q. Does the Governor live at the Residence?
A. Yes; Governor Dayton lives in the home full time with his three dogs Mesabi, Mingo and Itasca.

Q. How many fireplaces are there in the home?
A. There are nine fireplaces, six of which are still functional.