Local Historic Districts

Barden Park Historic District

The Barden Park Historic District contains St. Cloud’s oldest city park, as well as residential properties in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. It is located entirely in St. Cloud’s historic Lower Town, an area devoted to residential development.

The Barden Park Historic District is significant in St. Cloud because it contains a visual inventory of the residential architectural styles constructed in the city from the 1880s through 1945. The district contains examples of styles that are rare or well preserved and not found in other areas of the city. Both upper and middle class residences are represented in the district bordering the city’s oldest park.

The earliest structure in the district is a well preserved home at 801 Fourth Street South,built in 1882, in the Gothic Revival style, which is relatively rare in St. Cloud. There is a Folk Victorian (711 Fifth Avenue South), an American Four-Square (801 Fifth Avenue South), a Neo Classic (723 Fifth Avenue South), and a uniquely regional composite with Dutch and classic elements (701 Fifth Avenue South) all represented in this historic district.

Just outside the district, west of the park, the Alumni House is one of St. Cloud’s finest examples of the Tudor Revival style. These homes are significant as examples of the residences constructed by the middle and working classes in the South Side/Barden Park neighborhood. They are also significant as examples of some of the earliest housing styles in St. Cloud.

The Alumni House located at 724 4th Avenue South, across from Barden Park

Local Historic Districts

Barden Park Historic District

Pantown Neighborhood Historic District

Southside Neighborhood Historic District

St. Cloud Commercial Historic District

Southeast Historic Overlay District

St. Cloud City Hall

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Southside Neighborhood Historic District The Southside Neighborhood Historic District is one of St. Cloud’s oldest residential neighborhoods, Middle Town which was platted in 1854 by John L. Wilson. Streets in Middle Town were aligned parallel to the Mississippi River and extended south to the historic ravine that once ran all the way from Lake George to the river. South of the ravine, the community of Lower Town was platted on a grid oriented to the points of the compass rather than the river. Within the district are nine blocks of primarily residential development, with over 65 buildings. Although predominantly single-family residential in land use, there are several apartment buildings, two churches, and a number of buildings used as housing by St. Cloud State University students. The local district contains approximately 261 buildings. The northeast portion of the district was locally designated in 1999 and the remaining area was locally designated in 2002. Although predominantly residential in nature, the district includes the City’s oldest remaining churches and a number of historic apartment buildings. A large number of buildings are used as housing for St. Cloud State University students. Built between the early 1880’s and 1950’s, the houses in the district represent many styles. Examples include: Gothic Revival style, J.G. Smith House (211 3rd Avenue South), elaborate Romanesque style, Clarke House (356 3rd Avenue South), Colonial Revival style, Abeles House (223 3rd Avenue South), Prairie style, Neide House (201 Ramsey Place), and Period Revival styles that line Highbanks Place.
The Clarke House located at 356 3rd Avenue South