Eastcliff (mansion)

Edward and Markell Brooks House
University of Minnesota's Eastcliff residence
Eastcliff (mansion) is located in Minnesota
Eastcliff (mansion)
Eastcliff (mansion) is located in the United States
Eastcliff (mansion)
Location176 N. Mississippi River Blvd.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Coordinates44°56′47″N 93°11′54″W / 44.94639°N 93.19833°W / 44.94639; -93.19833
Built1921
ArchitectClarence H. Johnston Sr.; Clarence H. Johnston Jr.
Architectural styleColonial Revival
NRHP reference No.00000689
Added to NRHPJune 15, 2000

Eastcliff is a 20-room house overlooking the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, which serves as the official residence of the president of the University of Minnesota system. It was first built in 1922 by local lumber magnate Edward Brooks Sr. and donated to the university by the Brooks family in 1958, beginning its service as the president's official residence in 1960 when O. Meredith Wilson took the position. In 2000, the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1]

Today, it is the most-visited public residence in the state (outpacing the Minnesota Governor's Residence), often hosting events five days a week. Eastcliff hosts 150+ events and 8,000 guests each year.[2]

In December 2022, a task force convened by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents recommended selling the property, noting that the property requires $300,000 to $400,000 per year in operating costs, and could require over $1 million in repairs over the next decade.[3]

  1. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Park Service. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. ^ "Eastcliff". Office of the President of the University of Minnesota. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Navratil, Liz (December 24, 2022). "End of an era for Eastcliff? University of Minnesota considers selling presidential mansion". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 25 Dec 2022.