What is the LeDuc Historic Site?

The William & Mary LeDuc Historic Site is a nationally significant historic property that includes an architecturally outstanding house and outbuildings , and historic grounds.

Where is it located?

The LeDuc House is a four-acre site located at 1629 Vermillion Street (Highway 61), Hastings, Minnesota along the Great River Roads Scenic Byway. [ Directions ]

Why is the LeDuc house important in history?

Its unaltered Gothic Revival architecture, and especially the design source, establish its national significance. William LeDuc, an attorney, entrepreneur and distinguished Civil War officer, served as U.S. Commissioner of Agriculture under President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Mary LeDuc selected designs from Cottage Residences, a seminal volume first published in 1842 by noted architectural writer and landscape architect Andrew Jackson Downing, whose work dominated New York's Hudson River Valley. Following Downing's stylistic guidelines, the LeDucs produced a stunningly landscaped architectural gem in a young river town on the Minnesota prairie. The house survives virtually unaltered from its appearance when it was completed in 1865-66. In 1970 the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

How is the LeDuc house important for Hastings today?

Hastings citizens have supported and encouraged the preservation of the LeDuc house for decades because they recognize and appreciate its architecture and its history. With its prominent location on the Great River Road, a National Scenic Byway, the house is a major attraction for Minnesota's rapidly growing industry of cultural tourism. The handsome, restored house will encourage economic development by attracting visitors, tourists and commerce. With engaging exhibits and an exciting schedule of tours and public events, the house will become a cultural center for Hastings and the region.

What's next for the LeDuc Historic Site?

In 2003-04 the current owner, the Minnesota Historical Society, will make a significant investment in the property's restoration, upgrading utilities and making structural repairs. The City of Hastings will take ownership of the improved site and the Dakota County Historical Society will install exhibits, plan tours and programs, and ready the house for its public opening in spring-summer 2005.

Read "A Brief History of the LeDuc House" and see old and new images on the Gallery Page.