Located on the corner of Center and State Street, The Lind House was built in 1887 by John Lind and his wife Alice Shepard. The house was built in the Queen Ann style complete with a turret, wrap-around porches and bay windows.

A year before constructing the house, John Lind was elected to the House of Representatives. He served six years.

Twelve years after the house was built, John Lind was elected governor of Minnesota in 1898. Once news of his election reached New Ulm, a parade was organized through downtown and up Center street to Lind’s home where he and his wife greeted the crowds. From this point on, the house became an important part of state history.

The Lind House Association has owned and maintained the historical home since 1985. The association saved the historic home from being demolished. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1975, but by 1980, the house was in poor condition with a rotten porch, collapsed front steps, holes in the roof and broken windows. The last owner of the house fell behind on taxes and it was repossessed by the bank in 1981.

The Lind House Association was formed to save the historic house. After two years of fundraising, the house was bought from the bank for $45,000. Major restoration work was done on the home to bring it back to its original design. After 35 years, the house is overdue for new repairs.

Lind House Association Executive Director Kathy Covington said the interior of the house has been maintained over the years, but the exterior is in dire need of repair.

The immediate concern is the roof. The shingles have remained unchanged since restoration began in 1985. Holes have once again formed in the ceiling causing water leaks.

“We’ve patched it several times, we can’t keep doing that,” Covington said.

Water damage to the interior was repaired, but holes in the ceiling remain. The Lind House Association has strategically placed buckets in the attic to collect rainwater.

Photo by Clay Schuldt A second floor window of the Lind House looks out on Center Street. The Lind House features several stained glass windows. The Lind House Association was able to maintain several of the original windows.

Covington said a contractor has been found who is capable of doing the work necessary, but it will cost at least $200,000 for the roof.

The cost to repair the roof is more than John Lind paid to build the house in 1887. Lind had the entire house built for $5,000.

Repairing any house is complicated, but when the house is on the historic register, complications multiply. In theory, The Lind House is eligible for a grant from the state historical society, but to qualify for those grants the association would need to prove it was preserving the historic integrity of the house.

Covington said before the state historical society will approve a grant, an architectural drawing of the roof would be needed from a pre-approved list of architects. This alone would cost $40,000. To get an accurate historical architectural drawing, a section of the Lind House roof would need to be removed. The Lind House Association cannot afford to remove a part of the roof unless funding to replace it happens immediately. Unfortunately, the historic grant process is slow. Even with architectural drawings, it could take two years to receive grant approval. For this reason, The Lind House Association is trying to fundraise on its own.

In the past, maintenance funds were raised through memberships dues. Memberships cost $30 a year. There are higher-level memberships available as well. Membership receives a discount on rentals of the Lind House.

Photo by Clay Schuldt Lind House Association Executive Director Kathy Covington points out areas of the homes exterior that are in need of repair. The roof is in immediate need for repair, but the wrap around porch is next on the list.

The Lind House is used for meetings, showers and wedding events. The interior of the house is perfect for bridal events. Covington said the staircase is perfect for photographing a bridal party. The house recently hosted a family Thanksgiving. The house has a fully operational kitchen for preparing meals. The stove might look like an antique, but it works as well as any modern appliance.

Covington said rentals were down because of the pandemic, but interest has been picking up.

This year the City of New Ulm agreed to give $5,000 to the association as part of their 2022 budget. This is the first time since 2012 the city has given funds to the Lind House. By a strange quirk, the city’s payment is how much it cost to build the Lind house in 1887.

Covington is confident that once the roof is repaired, the association will be able to keep up with the maintenance.

The goal is to start the roof repairs in the spring or summer of 2022. Covington said the costs are likely to go up the longer the association waits. The longer the house goes without repair, the more it deteriorates and a piece of history is lost.

Photo by Clay Schuldt Sections of the Lind House roof are patched due to wear and tear. The wood shingles need to be replaced. The estimate for roof repairs is $200,000.

The Lind House holds an important place in New Ulm’s history, but its ties to Minnesota history are equally important. The Lind House is one of only three former Minnesota governors’ homes open to the public and the only governor’s home not located in St. Paul.

The Lind House is more than the former residence of the past governor, it is a window into Minnesota’s political and cultural past.

Anyone interested in donating directly to the repair efforts may send checks to The Lind House Association at 622 Center Street, New Ulm, MN 56073.

For more information, visit the Lind House website at www.lindhouse.org or email at lindhouse@newulmtel.net.

Photo by Clay Schuldt Sections of the Lind House roof are patched due to wear and tear. The wood shingles need to be replaced. The estimate for roof repairs is $200,000.

Photo by Clay Schuldt The main staircase in the Lind House was one of the first restoration project undertaken by the Lind House Association. A previous owner had installed steep staircase that went straight from the main floor to the second floor. After acquiring the house in 1985, the Lind House Association returned the stairs to the original design.