HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-08 PACKET 06.A.Cottage
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TO: Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation
FROM: John M. Burbank, Senior Planner
DATE: September 3, 2015
RE: Committee Awareness —Historic Education Project
Background/Proposal
The latest video production from the SWCTC will be presented at the September 3 meeting.
The topic was Cedarhurst Mansion.
Recommendation
That the ACHP discuss the topic.
Coming soon: Dining with
President Roosevelt: at Cedarhurst
Mansion in Cottage Grove
In Cottage Grove, the Cedarhurst Mansion moves into an era of high-end dinners
beginning with a president's favorite menu.
By Blair Emerson Special to the Star Tribune
ALJGn5T 7, 2015 — I1:I6PAI
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KYNDELL HARKNESS, Star TribuneTrue Thao talked about how big the front porch is at Cedarhurst Mansion.
Text size
Imagine dining ata mansion where four U.S. presidents have stayed; sitting ata table where the Queen of
Romania sat—all while devouring a plate of Theodore Roosevelt's favorite wild game.
The historic Cedarhurst Mansion in Cottage Grove is known for its lavish wedding receptions and thematic
patties, but starting next month it will open its doors to the public for elegant monthly dinners. In an effort
to raise money for the home's costly preservation, the mansion's owner teamed up with a catering
company to serve high-end meals at a hidden gem in Washington County.
NIA
■
t,
KYNDELL HARKNESS, Star TribuneTrue Thao talked about how big the front porch is at Cedarhurst Mansion.
Text size
Imagine dining ata mansion where four U.S. presidents have stayed; sitting ata table where the Queen of
Romania sat—all while devouring a plate of Theodore Roosevelt's favorite wild game.
The historic Cedarhurst Mansion in Cottage Grove is known for its lavish wedding receptions and thematic
patties, but starting next month it will open its doors to the public for elegant monthly dinners. In an effort
to raise money for the home's costly preservation, the mansion's owner teamed up with a catering
company to serve high-end meals at a hidden gem in Washington County.
"Cedarhurst has been known as the big reservation place," said True Thao, co-owner and general manager
of the mansion. "But we want it to be a everyday thing also."
Thao recently teamed up with Seth Brittain of Distinctive Catering and Events. The two are creating
various multicourse meals that will be offered each month with hopes of eventually doing it weekly,
Brittain said.
On Sept. 25, the mansion will host a presidential wild game dinner. At about $50 per person, chefs will
prepare a five -course meat with different wild game that Roosevelt liked, Brittain said. The dinners will be
served in a grand ballroom that is adorned with gold detailing and crystal chandeliers.
"Every month we want to do something completely different to showcase the mansion indifferent ways,
but also, too, to showcase the menu in different ways," Brittain said.
Co-owner True Thao walked through the front yard at Cedarhurst Mansion in Cottage Grove. Thao bought
the building with his brother in 2001.
Built in the 1860s, Cedarhurst was home to the widely known Minnesota lawyer, Cordenio Severance. The
mansion underwent renovations in the early 1900s by Cass Gilbert, an architect who designed the
Minnesota State Capitol and the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.
Thao and his brother bought the house in 2001. He said he and his family came to the U.S. as refugees
from Laos. Thao, who currently runs his own counseling center in St. Paul, said he and his brother, who is
a physician, were searching for a commercial building to use as a medical clinic when they stumbled on
Cedarhurst.
"When the Realtor brought us here I said, `Holy cow why is this out in the middle of nowhere?' " Thao
said. "And then we bought it, so we really did not have the vision of all of these things until later."
The white -columned mansion, surrounded by cornfields in Cottage Grove, has a southern chane. The 26 -
mom, nine -bathroom home has a 100 -foot veranda with twin porticos. There are spacious landscaped
lawns with lilac hedges and a vibrant flower garden.
Each room in the mansion tells a story, Than said. The European -style rooms are embellished with
wallpapers, paintings and photos of the mansion's previous owners along with imported pieces of art, most
of which are new.
The Oriental room is covered in a wallpaper depicting drawings of a pagoda. Thao said when his family
purchased Cedarhurst, the talk of the town was that they were going to make it the biggest Chinese pagoda
in the state. So, he told the mansion's interior designer — Ed Hawksford — to find a pagoda -patterned
wallpaper.
"I told Ed, `Put the pagoda up there so we can keep the pagoda story,' " Thao said with a laugh.
The 12,000 -square -foot mansion needed significant renovations when Thao bought the place. Every few
years the home undergoes repair work, he said, ranging from a fresh coat of paint to installing a new bar
top. Additional revenue from the newest endeavor will be used to maintain and preserve Cedarhurst, Thao
said.
The mansion has played host to a queen and high government officials throughout the years, including
presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Than said he is
excited to open the mansion to the public and continue to use the mansion as it was originally intended, as
a place for entertainment.
"We want Cedarhurst to be an integral part of the community," Thao said. "I think it's one of the gerns in
this town."
Blair Emerson is a Twin Cities freelance writer. Her e-mail address is blairv.emerson@gmail.com