Story by Fritz Busch

After spending decades of summers in a palatial home on Summit Avenue in New Ulm, Norma and Bob Dempsey plan to live year around in South Florida soon.

Built in 1938 by New Ulm meat market owners Hugo and Margaret Schnobrich, Bob’s father, New Ulm attorney William H. Dempsey bought the home in 1951.

The five bedroom, four bath, 6,401 square foot Kasota stone home on 2.37 acres was built by Heymann Construction of New Ulm with lumber from Puhlmann Lumber.

Bob and Norma Dempsey pictured recently.

Bob’s mother, Myra Seifert is the great aunt of Ellen Vancura of New Ulm. Married in 1929, William H. Dempsey and Myra Seifert originally lived on the first floor of a Center Street duplex now known as the Lind House.

“John Heymann told us there is a house identical to this one in the Twin Cities,” said Bob Dempsey. “The home was built in what was called the Schnobrich Subdivision. With gravel roads. Some people considered it to be in the country.”

Dempsey said the Schnobrichs sold the home to Mr. and Mrs. Ted Melzer, who owned the New Ulm theater.

“They later built a Lake Minnetonka home and used this (home) as a weekend home,” Dempsey added.

“Before my parents bought the house, it seemed nobody wanted it because it was too far out of town,” Bob said.

Built in 1938, the Norma and Bob Dempsey home features many unique design characteristics.

“The group of people that lived around here then was called the Summit Avenue crowd. The Gislasons, the Fritsches. They wanted to make sure that whoever bought it was compatible,” he added.

“John Heymann told us the home was built to resemble a French Normandy country home,” Bob said. “The exterior is stone and stucco with half beams, flower window boxes and awnings. The interior has stone floors several inches thick and iron grill work. Everybody we knew told us if we were going to have a tornado, they’d come to our place.”

Bob Dempsey was an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. for 33 years. The couple lived in Alexandria, Va. before moving to Florida.

The Dempseys been Florida residents for two decades but returned to New Ulm during the summer.

“We just couldn’t stay away from New Ulm. It’s wonderful,” said Norma. “We were living in Florida. Bob looked up in the sky and saw all these bright stars. We thought, why are we living in the city? Why not live in New Ulm?”

A trail through a wooded area features gardens, a bridge and gazebo behind the home.

“When we came back to New Ulm to visit, some of my high school friends were still in New Ulm or in Minneapolis,” Bob said. “It was kind of like we never left.”

The Dempseys also own property next door at 707 Summit that includes a summer house on 1.47 acres.

More property details including photos can be found online including a New Ulm Real Estate listing.

A winding staircase inclues interior shutters.