St. Cloud Audio-Tour: Echos und Eleganz der Southside University

To spot the Fifth Avenue Commercial Buildings, just look straight ahead for a striking row of six old-fashioned brick buildings, each with its own unique flourish of decorative trim and arched windows, stretching side by side along the street like proud siblings at a family reunion. Now, imagine it’s the turn of the 20th century-the smell of fresh bread drifts from a nearby bakery, merchants shout out today’s bargains, and horses clatter by on cobblestone streets. You’re standing in the busiest shopping lane in St. Cloud, Minnesota! The very buildings in front of you were the backbone of this downtown business district, built between 1883 and 1914 when everyone was hustling to catch the "next big thing." Each brick holds the secrets of all-night poker games in back rooms, fierce business rivalries, and innovative shopkeepers who showed up with a big dream and a mustache to match. These blocks have survived fires, fierce winters, and even fiercer competition from newfangled malls. They earned their place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982-not just for their beauty, but because they are St. Cloud’s best preserved commercial block. It’s not just a street, it’s a living memory of the town’s wild, entrepreneurial spirit. If these buildings could talk, you might just get a wild sales pitch-or at least a good joke!

You’re looking for a bold, red-brick mansion with a tall turret on the right and a grand porch wrapping around the front-just look for the house that looks fit for a storybook, standing proudly beneath the open sky. Alright, adventurer, you’ve just landed in front of one of St. Cloud’s crown jewels: the Nehemiah P. Clarke House! Imagine it’s 1893, and a fresh winter wind rattles through the lumberyards while the sound of saws and hammers fills the air. Old Nehemiah Clarke, a true St. Cloud pioneer, is about to move into this Queen Anne marvel-an architectural style as fancy as the name suggests. Clarke, who strolled into town in 1856 with ambition in his pocket, built his fortune trading goods and making deals in lumber. Locals used to whisper about how he could sell mittens to a moose! The house became a symbol of his success: ornate brickwork, stylish towers, and every detail chosen to impress both neighbor and competitor. Gazing at this place, you can almost hear the clinking glasses from lively business parties and taste the smoky air from the old wood stoves. In 1982, the nation finally agreed it was unforgettable-it officially became a piece of living history. So as you stand here, picture this house at its most vibrant, a place where fortunes were made and St. Cloud’s story took shape one brick at a time.

You'll spot the Foley-Brower-Bohmer House right in front of you-a striking red-brick mansion with a rounded turret rising up on your left and an impressively detailed façade that looks almost like it belongs in a fairy tale… or maybe in a movie about railroad tycoons. Picture this scene in 1889: the scent of sawdust hangs in the air, as St. Cloud is humming with growth, and railroad tracks snake through the land beyond. Right here, Timothy Foley-a man with a nose for both pine trees and train tracks-decides he needs a house to match his success. And not just any house; he commissions this grand Romanesque beauty. Imagine parties under these soaring arches, candlelight glittering through all those curved windows, and deals being made over whiskey in richly paneled rooms. Now, the plot thickens! By 1895, it’s his brother Thomas who’s answering the door-must have made for some interesting family dinners. In 1902, the keys clink in the hand of Ripley B. Brower, a lawyer and a politician, who probably spent more time debating than decorating. By 1923, William J. Bohmer, a sharp banker, strolled these halls, maybe counting more cash than ghosts. This house didn’t just keep out Minnesota winters-it held together the stories of industry, ambition, and maybe a few family squabbles, making it a true landmark worth a spot on the National Register. Now, you’re standing where all these legends mingled-just don’t try to move in, unless you’re very persuasive with local historians!

In front of you, you’ll see a grand red-brick house with a tall corner tower, plenty of fancy trim, and a wraparound porch-just look for the pointy turret and green columns, it’s pretty hard to miss! Welcome to the John N. Bensen House, where every brick has a story! Imagine it’s 1904-horses clop by, ladies in big hats chat on the porch, and the aroma of fresh bread is drifting out the windows. John Bensen, who arrived in St. Cloud all the way from Germany in 1872, built this impressive home after becoming a grocery kingpin, mayor, and even a bank president. As you gaze at those Queen Anne towers and gingerbread details, picture turn-of-the-century parties and serious business meetings happening under these very eaves. Believe it or not, this house once set the gold standard for fancy architecture in town-so much so, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Over the years, the Bensen House has welcomed guests from all walks of life-today, it’s the Heritage House Bed & Breakfast, proving that you don’t have to be a bank president to stay here anymore. Now, if you hear a door gently creak, don’t worry-it’s just the house welcoming its next storyteller!

To spot the Michael Majerus House, look to the corner lot near you for a striking three-story red-brick mansion topped by a five-story square tower, with a fancy mansard roof and a wrought-iron balcony above its front doors. Now, let’s step back in time together-imagine it’s 1891, St. Cloud is growing, and right here stands Michael Majerus’s incredible new home, the undisputed star of the block. Take in those smooth granite windowsills, the bold red bricks, and-look way up!-that tower rising grandly above you like a brick-and-mortar lighthouse. If you listen closely, you might almost hear the clack of horse hooves as a carriage pulls up to the original garage, which once held hay in a loft upstairs. Built as a second home for Majerus, this place was ahead of its time-or rather, behind it! By 1891, Americans were crazy for Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque, but Majerus insisted on the elegant Second Empire style, complete with curvy mansard roofs and ornate stone details. Rumor has it, the style reminded his German neighbors of the old country, and didn’t our friend Majerus love to bring a bit of Europe to Minnesota? Now glance at the first and second floors-see those carved rosettes, cherub faces, little scrolls? Even the balcony above the main doors seems to invite you into a century-long mystery: Why build this when everyone else was picking something fashionable? Maybe nostalgia, maybe a love for drama-who knows! Fast forward to the 1970s, and picture workers dusting off old beams, sighing as they restored everything back to its 19th-century glory. Only five families have called this mansion home, and thanks to award-winning preservation, the house you see today looks almost exactly as it did over 130 years ago-ready to impress, and maybe even inspire your next dream home.

You’re looking for a grand building made with warm, golden bricks and a row of arched columns out front, topped with a tall, square bell tower-look straight ahead and you can’t miss it! Welcome to the Cathedral of Saint Mary, the heart and soul of Catholic life in St. Cloud! Let’s step back in time for a moment-imagine it’s 1855, the Minnesota wind is brisk, and Reverend Francis Xavier Pierz has just hosted the very first Mass right here, but not in a cathedral, oh no, in a cozy living room belonging to John and Catherina Schwarz. No pipe organs, no soaring ceilings, just family, faith, and probably a few squeaky wooden chairs. But the community quickly grew, and soon enough, the first pastor-a Benedictine monk-oversaw a little wood-frame church and school across the road from where you’re standing now. The place had so much spirit, they even welcomed Benedictine nuns from Pennsylvania who were so tough they set up their first “nunnery” in an attic before finally finding their own place. Talk about dedication! When they needed more room, the community built a Gothic-style church in 1864, with a rectory and, believe it or not, a four-story parish center complete with a bowling alley and a swimming pool. I guess the nuns knew how to have a good time between classes! But history wasn’t always kind. In 1920, disaster struck: a fire blazed through the Gothic church, leaving nothing but memories and ashes. Rising from the rubble, construction of the Cathedral you see now began in 1922. And while the upper church wasn’t finished until 1931, the parish didn’t let that stop them-they simply held Masses in the unfinished basement. And if you’re thinking this church looks more Italian than Minnesotan, you’re spot on! Its design is inspired by an ancient basilica in Ravenna, Italy, thanks to a trip abroad by the parish’s pastor and the vision of architect Nairne W. Fisher. The twists don’t stop there. When the nearby Holy Angels Cathedral lost its iconic spire in a fire, Bishop Joseph Busch decided it was time for St. Mary’s to rise as the new cathedral. In 1937, Pope Pius XI made it official-it became the spiritual center for more than 150,000 Catholics across Central Minnesota. Inside, treasures await: there’s a shrine to Saint Cloud himself, complete with ancient relics-a bit of clothing, a bone fragment, and even an old statue with a mysterious history passed down from 8th-century France. The statue is flanked by reliefs of Saint Cloud’s grandma and the bishop who guided him as a boy. There’ve been a few more bumps along the road-fires, renovations, and yes, watching old beloved buildings be torn down. But the cathedral always rises anew, now with bright limestone details and a welcoming aura that draws you in. So as you gaze up, picture centuries of stories soaring to the ceiling, carried by music, laughter, and prayer, standing strong at the heart of St. Cloud.

Look ahead and slightly to your right-you’ll spot the St. Cloud Commercial Historic District by its charming row of colorful brick storefronts, big windows, and old-fashioned details lining the sidewalk all the way down the block. Now, take a deep breath and imagine yourself transported back in time, shoes echoing on the old wooden sidewalks as horse-drawn wagons clatter past and laughter spills out of bustling shops. The heart of St. Cloud’s downtown, this district isn’t just a cluster of buildings-it's a living scrapbook of local business, built from 1870 to 1947! Picture more than forty proud establishments side by side, from banks and drugstores to bakeries with fresh bread that might tempt you even today. Through winter blizzards, the Roaring Twenties, and even the odd small-town drama, these walls have seen it all-shoppers with armfuls of goods and maybe a shopkeeper sneaking a cookie when no one’s looking. The town’s biggest deals, dreams, and maybe a little gossip all happened right here, where everyone met in the middle of town. In 1998, it was officially given superstar treatment by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. So stand tall, because you’re right where St. Cloud’s story still rumbles to life every single day!

You’re standing at the site of one of St. Cloud’s most dramatic days-the 1998 St. Cloud explosion. Imagine a cold December morning: the street is busy with people heading to work, while a work crew is busily installing fiber-optic cables underground. It’s all routine, until, just after 10:15 a.m., their equipment suddenly punctures a natural gas pipeline. The workers realize what’s happened-cue a lot of frantic radio calls-and about 40 anxious minutes tick by as the smell of gas gets stronger. At 11:06, fire trucks and police cars arrive. People are worried, but some are just curious-standing at the windows, watching the drama unfold. Just five minutes after the gas company’s trucks show up, disaster strikes. At 11:29, with almost no warning, a massive blast erupts. The explosion destroys five buildings, kills four, and injures eleven. The damage, nearly $400,000, is written into local memory. The incident taught the town some tough lessons about emergency training and safety-today’s response teams are a lot more cautious. It’s not your typical landmark, but this site stands as a reminder: sometimes history is loud, messy, and more than a little explosive!

You’re now standing in front of the Great River Regional Library, the modern brain of St. Cloud’s quest for knowledge-and what a story it has! Try to imagine St. Cloud in the early 1900s: people hungry for books, but their reading room was trapped in a hotel. Disaster struck in 1901 when a fire burned the hotel to the ground. The whole town’s reading hopes went up in smoke, literally! But instead of giving up, St. Cloudians got creative-and maybe a little persuasive. They reached out to the “Oprah of libraries” himself: Andrew Carnegie, the steel tycoon who loved funding libraries. He gifted $25,000! Not to be outdone, James J. Hill, the legendary railroad baron, chipped in another $2,000. Combine that money, and by 1902, a new library opened its doors. The library quickly became the community’s heartbeat-just with less caffeine than a coffee shop. Fast forward to 1969 and this humble library grew into a powerhouse, uniting collections and resources across six counties with 32 branches. St. Cloud became the headquarters, naturally-think of it as the mothership for book lovers. And in 2008, the sleek building you see today was born, packed with enough books to give your arms a workout just thinking about carrying them all. Did you know almost half the whole system’s books live right here in this building? That’s more stories than your Aunt Edna’s family reunions. Inside, it’s not just books anymore-grab eBooks, eAudiobooks, comics, music, or movies across Libby, Tumblebooks, and Hoopla. The library even has a special all-Minnesotan eBook collection. And for the curious minds? Free access to thousands of magazines, newspapers, and research treasures with just a card. So whether you’re old-school or all-digital, the Great River Regional Library is your ticket to adventure-no overdue fines for imagination, I promise!