Ard Godfrey House & Chute Square Park

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Ard Godfrey House, Chute Square Park, Minneapolis

Address: 28 University Avenue Southeast, Minneapolis, MN, 55414
Upcoming Events: Jump to Ard Godfrey House & Chute Square Park Events

Websites: Chute Square Park • Ard Godfrey Family House
Phone: 612-230-6400
Ard Godfrey House is open: 1-4pm weekends in June, July and August

Located near historic St Anthony Main, Chute Square is home to the Ard Godfrey House, the oldest remaining wood frame home in the Twin Cities. It was originally built in 1848 in the Greek Revival style on Main Street and 2nd Avenue Southeast, but was moved a few times before finding its home at Chute Square.

Collage showing historical marker, sun dial and exterior of Ard Godrey House in Chute Square Park, Minneapolis, MN

Now a museum run by the Woman’s Club of Minnesota, the building is free and open to the public on weekends between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., June through August.

8 Things to Know Before Visiting Ard Godfrey House

      1. The house is pleasantly air-conditioned. You may even want a sweater.
      2. The tour is guided by members of the Women’s Club and lasts about 20 minutes. You’ll get a history lesson while you walk through.
      3. If you want to learn more, the Minnesota Historical Society has photos, letters and diary excerpts from the Godfrey family and Hennepin County Library has an original 1934 painting of the house on the 4th Floor of Minneapolis Central. The Women’s club also offers additional information on their site.
      4. No photography is allowed.
      5. Hands Off. Though this house was probably luxurious for the time, the rooms are quite small and there is no touching or sitting allowed. I needed to remind my kids about this before and during the tour.
      6. No Strollers. You’ll need to leave your stroller outside, so plan accordingly if you have small kids.
      7. Nearby Fun. Chute Park is easy walking distance from the Minneapolis Riverfront (Mill Ruins Park) and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (the oldest church in continuous use in Minneapolis), which can make it part of a pleasant historic walk on summer weekends.
      8. There are no restrooms at the park, but you can always go buy a treat at Byerlys and use theirs if necessary.

Picnicking at Chute Square

We often come here to picnic on work days because it’s located just north of Downtown Minneapolis, right across the street from a Byerlys. The family can pick me up, run through Byerlys, and sit down to eat all in a one-hour lunch break.
Walkway leading up to the Ard Godrey House Museum in Chute Square Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Open Houses are held on Saturdays and Sundays in the Summer

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Upcoming Family-Friendly Events


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Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.

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