Plummer House

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This home serves as a tourist attraction, a facility for weddings, receptions, meetings, instructional classes, and parties for groups up to 100 people. The facility is under the general supervision of the Director of Parks and Recreation. Rental of the house includes the grounds.

Eleven acres of beautiful landscaped grounds, formal gardens, bird trail, quarry, and water tower highlight the features of the park. The grounds are open to the public from sunrise to sunset except when the house is reserved for private functions. Private functions held at the Plummer House can also reserve the grounds, making the grounds not open to the public.

The first floor of the Plummer House is handicap accessible. All remaining floors of the Plummer House are not handicap accessible. The main level grounds are handicap accessible. Arrangements must be made in advance with the caretaker to gain access to the lower garden area for guests needing handicap accessibility.

Rental Information

The Plummer House is open for rentals. Contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 507-328-2525 for reservation details and to make reservations. Please review the Rules and Regulations associated with renting the Plummer House.

If you are interested in renting out the Plummer House for your special event, you can check on date availability* and you can make a permit request for information on a Plummer House date. Please note that a permit request for information does not place a hold on the date(s) in question.

Renters will have the option of being able to rent the Plummer House grounds for your exclusive use along with rental of the Plummer House. If you choose to rent the grounds, it will be your responsibility to enforce the exclusive use. Please see the rental rates listed below.

*Note: Only reservations in the main Plummer House reservation book at the Parks & Recreation Department main office (507-328-2525) are valid.

Rates

Tours

New in 2024...Open House Tour events are now scheduled every Wednesday during the months of February through November (except November 6, 2024) from 12:00 Noon to 6:00 p.m. During these events, visitors can access the inside of the Plummer House for a self-guided tour. Reservations are not needed and visitors can show up any time during the open house hours. Payment of the open house tour rate is made at the front door of the Plummer House with cash or check being the accepted forms of payment.

Private group tours of 10 people or more of the house and grounds may be arranged by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department at 507-328-2525. The charge for private group tours is $10.00 per person, regardless of age.

2024 & 2025 OPEN HOUSE TOUR RATES

Adults (12 years and over) - $10.00
Youth (6 to 11 years) - $5.00
5 years and under - Free

History

In 1917 Dr. Henry S. Plummer and his wife Daisy, began construction of "Quarry Hill" later to be known as the Plummer House. Dr. Plummer personally formulated the plans for the house which included many innovations that were far advanced for that day and age.

In 1924 the 65 acre estate consisted of the house, greenhouse, water tower, garage and gazebo. Today 11 acres remain and are maintained by the Rochester Park and Recreation Department.

In 1901 Dr. Mayo asked Dr. Plummer to join the Mayo Clinic staff. This relationship was to last for the next 35 years to the mutual benefit of both parties. Dr. Plummer is given credit for many innovative ideas that were implemented during his tenure. Among the most outstanding was his invention of the pneumatic tube, the communication system, and record keeping system.

Daisy Plummer, a gifted musician and friend to all, was a remarkable individual in her own right. A concert pianist and patron of the arts, she was very fond of promoting cultural activities in the city.

With Dr. Plummer's death in 1936, Daisy Plummer and family continued to live at the Plummer House until 1969. At that time the house and grounds were given to the Art Center for all to use and enjoy. Three years later the house and grounds were turned over to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Dr. Plummer, once described as "the diversified genius" and Daisy "a patron of the arts" built a home that was always open to friends and relatives. Today this memory lives on at the Plummer House of the Arts.

Facts

Dr. Plummer began working at the Mayo Clinic in 1901 and was there until his death in 1936. He was a physician, architect, tool and die maker, and inventor. He set up the record keeping system at the Mayo Clinic, designed many buildings, and invented the pneumatic tube.

Daisy Plummer was a gifted musician. Her mother's maiden name was Mayo. Daisy lived at the Plummer House until 1969. She and Dr. Plummer had two adopted children, Robert and Gertrude.

The house is an English Tudor Mansion and was constructed between 1917 and 1924. The roof is made entirely of slate. Today the house, water tower, and grounds occupy 11 acres. The furniture in the house is all original.

There are two caves on the property, one going into the house and the other under the water tower.

The house has 49 rooms, 10 bathrooms, 9 bedrooms, 5 fireplaces.

The house is over 300' long and is 5 stories high.

Innovative features that were built into the house included: central vacuum system, underground sprinkler system, inter-communications system, security system, dumb waiter, electricity and gas lighting, first gas furnace in the city, garage door openers, heated pool, water tower, and many other special features.

When the house was built the property included 65 acres.

Twenty-five percent of exterior stone was mined from the property.

Plummer House Photo Album

Updated on 02/04/2015 10:16 AM

Images of the Plummer House grounds and interior rooms