St. Paul's Westside: The Rau-Strong House
The Rau-Strong House (at 2 East George Street) was designated a historical landmark for a lot of reasons, but to me it stands out because it was occupied by the original builder/owner’s family for 100 years. It’s not uncommon to find farmhouses that have stayed in the family that long, but it’s extraordinarily rare in the city.
A Home of His Own
Adam Rau, a German immigrant, bought about 16 acres of land in West St. Paul in 1867. He was a stonecutter and the land included his limestone quarry to conveniently supply his projects. He and his brother, Nicholas, both built homes on the land and and built young families.
Adam and his wife, Johanna, suffered several heartbreaks in very quick succession. They lost 4 young sons in 3 years, probably to childhood illnesses like typhoid, diptheria or tuberculosis. Their daughter, Lizzie, became their only child.
In 1886, Adam finally built his dream home of his own design. Using limestone from his own quarry to build walls two feet thick, the architecture is very eclectic. The home was finished just in time for Lizzie’s wedding to Ossian Strong, a clerk for a large grocer. Unfortunately, it was also just in time for Adam’s funeral. He died in 1888 at 57 years old.
Strong Family
Lizzie and Ossian had three daughters (Florence, Ruth and Gertrude) by 1893. Their youngest was only a year old when Lizzie died from tuberculosis. Ossian was left a single father, so his mother-in-law and his own parents moved into the house to help raise the children.
The girls grew up and Gertrude, who never married, lived in the family home until her death in 1986.
Today, it is a privately-owned, single family home.
