“Secretum meum mihi,” (“my secret is mine.”) was St. Edith's Stein's cryptic response when her best friend asked why she converted. We serve up interviews, historical sketches, Bible studies, book reviews and essays for Catholic women. MY SECRET IS MINE is for women with an audacious hope: that the Messiah makes all things new.
NEW! Quirky Pilgrimage Column: HILL HOUSE
Published 14 days ago • 5 min read
HILL HOUSE: THE GILDED AGE MANSION BUILT BY A RAILROAD MAGNATE FOR HIS CATHOLIC WIFE
by Kristen West McGuire
The James J. Hill House is located right next door to the Cathedral of St. Paul, although the Cathedral was built about 25 years later. (Mr. Hill refused to donate to that cause.) The Hills lived in St. Paul, Minnesota.
James Jerome Hill fell in love with a beautiful waitress, Mary Theresa Mehegan. They had much in common: Irish immigrant parents, limited education, and childhood poverty. Both their fathers had died on Christmas Eve. While Mr. Hill was Protestant, Miss Mehegan was a devout Catholic. Her faith and hard-working nature impressed Hill.
In 1864, Mr. Hill paid for his future bride to attend a Catholic finishing school in Milwaukee run by the Sisters of Notre Dame. He was quite confident that he would need a wife who could handle the demands of upper crust society. And, as it happens, his wealth by the time of his death in 1916 was second only to the Rockefellers.
James and Mary married in 1867 and had ten children, nine of whom survived to adulthood. Mary was a model Catholic wife and mother who managed five homes including a farm north of St. Paul.
Hill was a workaholic and travelled frequently. He grew the Great Northern Railway in part by convincing Catholic immigrants to settle out west. Amtrak’s “Empire Builder” train still runs from Chicago to Seattle along the same tracks.
The love and respect of this couple lasted a lifetime. Mrs. Hill was introverted but energetic, and her philanthropy included alms, food donations from the farm, and convincing her husband to fund the entire building of a seminary in St. Paul.
There was an ugly estate battle among the children after Mary’s death in 1921. Four of the Hill daughters purchased the mansion on Summit Avenue and donated it to the Archdiocese of St. Paul, who used it as a residence and school for teachers. In 1978, the James. J. Hill House was acquired by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Formal portraits of Mary and James Hill face one another in the grand entrance hall of the James J. Hill House.
A Weekend Visit: Frankly, the Hill fortune didn’t lead to deeper faith for most of their children. But the Hill House and Cathedral make for an amazing weekend in St. Paul! James J. Hill House: James and Mary’s magnum opus, this Gilded Age mansion was once the largest private residence in the state. It boasts 13 bathrooms, 22 fireplaces, 16 chandeliers, a reception hall the size of a football field, and a two-story, skylit art gallery with a pipe organ! The house was both status symbol and cozy. The indoor plumbing and electrical were state of the art. The cost to build it in 1891 was just shy of $1M, which would be $30M today. It is OPULENT. The woodwork is exquisite! A team of 5-6 wood carvers spent three years making the polished wooden elements of the first floor entertaining spaces. The dining room dazzles the eye with 14K gold leaf ceilings and leather wall paper. (The Church used the dining room as a chapel.) The house is open for tours Thursday - Sunday all year, but the holiday prices are higher due to the decor upgrades (late November through early January) Adults $15/$25, Seniors, Veterans, Military, College Students $12/$20, Children 5-17 $8/$16, Children under 4, free. Tours start every half hour at 10 am, with the last tour beginning at 3:30 pm. The first tour on Sundays begins at 11 am. Also on Sundays, a 3:30 pm tour of the “Nooks and Crannies” takes visitors to the attic theater, gatehouse and other unusual areas. 240 Summit Avenue, 651-297-2555 www.mnhs.org/hillhouse Need more visit info? Visit Saint Paul visitsaintpaul.com 175 West Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 502 Saint Paul, MN 55102 651.265.4900 / 800.627.6101
Getting There
The closest airport is Minneapolis/St. Paul, a quick 15 minute Uber from Summit Avenue. There is ample street parking-- but you may not even need a car! The Cathedral parking lot is also adjacent.
Getting To Mass
Cathedral of St. Paul: Don’t skimp on the time needed to enjoy this historic Cathedral! There are multiple side chapels to pray your way through, as well as over 40 different kinds of marble and stone. The organist was practicing when we visited on a weekday morning. Archbishop Hebda celebrated a daily Mass while we were there, including chanting the Ordinaries.
The Cathedral was begun in 1915. It was not completed in its present form until 1958. The Hill children were not as devout as their mother, but most were extremely generous to the Church. Louis Hill was treasurer of the Cathedral campaign, and left nearly all his fortune to a foundation for those in need in the territories where he made his fortune. The Baldacchin and altar was donated by Charlotte Hill Slade, Mary’s daughter.
The Cathedral offers tours daily at 1 pm, and asks a donation of $12/each. The guides are very knowledgeable about the Catholic faith, and provide details not found in the self-guided tour brochure.
Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil 5:15 pm, Sundays 8 am, 10 am, 12 noon and 5 pm Daily Mass: 8 am and 5:15 pm M-F daily with confession & adoration 4-5 pm daily.
Literally across the street from the James J. Hill House and the Cathedral of St. Paul is an AirBnB with an upstairs unit that sleeps five, and a basement apartment that sleeps three. The host has a hospitality background so customer service is good. Note that the basement unit has stairs for access and the bed is rather close to the ground.
One-night $185 - $334. For the convenience, this quirky pilgrim says it’s worth the cost. On-site parking.
The High Hat Easily our best meal was brunch at this stylish cafe. They have two menus - Brunch and Evening Lounge - and live music nearly every night! The food was healthy too! Huevos Divorciados highly recommended! Walk-ins only. Only parties of 6 or less for brunch.
485 Selby Avenue 651-528-7941
Hours: Monday- Sunday, 8 am - 2 pm | Thursday - Monday starting at 5 pm
The outdoor tables are often full, and included sidewalk chalk for the kids!
Moscow on the Hill: Let’s get one thing straight - half the menu is vodka cocktails. So we felt compelled. Zakuski appetizers go with the vodka. So we did both. The food is actually better than we expected, with ample servings. Borscht, blini, stroganoff...hearty Midwestern fare, Russian-style. Reservations are a good idea. There’s parking next door.
Hours: 11 am - 10 pm daily. Bar open later. Because, vodka.
The menu at Moscow on the Hill was so kitschy - we loved it!
(Future Quirky pilgrimages will ALWAYS include the best Mass nearby, a few museums or sights to visit, a famous or infamous story of an interesting Catholic woman, and a couple good local hotels and restaurants.)
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“Secretum meum mihi,” (“my secret is mine.”) was St. Edith's Stein's cryptic response when her best friend asked why she converted. We serve up interviews, historical sketches, Bible studies, book reviews and essays for Catholic women. MY SECRET IS MINE is for women with an audacious hope: that the Messiah makes all things new.
