Events
hat follows is a list of upcoming events of interest to members of the Twin Cities Bungalow Club. Some are sponsored by the Bungalow Club and some are not.
37th National Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows
Friday, February 21 to Sunday, February 23, 2025
Grove Park Inn
Asheville, North Carolina
Office phone: 828-628-1915
arts-craftsconference.com
The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, is considered the finest Arts & Crafts resort hotel in the world. Since 1988, the Inn has hosted the National Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows, with the country’s finest seminar speakers, recognized experts, reputable antiques dealers, educational tours, workshops, and discussions, as well as artists and skilled artisans from across the country—plus the most enthusiastic group of collectors anywhere!
If you love Arts & Crafts, this conference and a visit to Grove Park Inn is a must at least once in your life. Visit arts-craftsconference.com for the full details.
Twin Cities Bungalow Club Presents:
The Bungalows of J. W. Lindstrom
Designs by a Prolific but Forgotten Minnesota Architect Re-Emerge
Sunday, March 9, 2025
2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Alliiance, an architectural firm
400 Clifton Ave., Minneapolis
Bungalow Club members free; non-members $5
Reservations not required
Have you heard of architect J. W. Lindstrom, who practiced locally during the early 20th century? Though his name does not come up in discussions about notable past architects of the Twin Cities (think Cass Gilbert, Clarence Johnston or Purcell and Elmslie), there are likely hundreds, if not thousands, of Lindstrom-designed residences that still stand across Minnesota—and even overseas.
Join us on Sunday, March 9, for an eye-opening presentation offered by two Bungalow Club members who live in J. W. Lindstrom-designed bungalows: Ashley Ilvonen and Randy Rowoldt.
Photographs of the actual houses owned by presenters Ashley Ilvonen (top) and Randy Rowoldt (bottom), found in vintage J. W. Lindstrom house plan catalogs.
Driven by affection for their homes and curiosity about their origins, years ago the two men independently unearthed the identity of the architect who conceived them. In addition, Ilvonen and Rowoldt have so far identified more than 20 Lindstrom-designed buildings—bungalows, larger homes, apartment buildings and even a University of Minnesota sorority house—in the Twin Cities. Now, the two will join forces to bring us this fascinating talk. It will be illustrated with vintage and contemporary images that they have gathered from sources as far away as New Zealand.
Is it possible that you live in a bungalow designed by J. W. Lindstrom? If so, you likely would not know it, and finding out could be a challenge. Ilvonen and Rowoldt will reveal the sources they used to identify their homes and will provide suggestions to help attendees determine if theirs is a Lindstrom home.
This event will be held at the offices of the architectural firm Alliiance, which is housed in the Charles C. Bovey House, a 1916 building in Minneapolis’ Loring Park neighborhood. The structure was originally a private residence and was given local historic designation by the Minneapolis Historic Preservation Commission in 1986.
Architect Ashley Ilvonen is a principal at and part owner of Alliiance. He provides oversight for the company’s aviation practice and has led design projects at major airports across the U.S. and in Canada. Ilvonen has offered to open Alliiance’s doors for this event.
Presenter Randy Rowoldt is well known to Bungalow Club members. He and his husband Steve have had their Lindstrom-designed house on the club’s tour twice. In 2017, he provided us with a pitch-perfect presentation titled “Music in the Bungalow;” and last fall he designed a bungalow neighborhood scavenger hunt for us, which culminated in his talk at Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative.
“The Bungalows of J. W. Lindstrom” will take place at 2 p.m. at Alliiance, located at 400 Clifton Avenue in Minneapolis. There are ample parking lots on either side of the building, plus open parking on the street. For those with mobility limitations, an elevator is located just inside the employee entrance on the east side of the building, off the lot marked “Accessible Route.”
If you would like a sheet with directions to the Alliiance office that includes maps of the parking areas, please send a request to mail@bungalowclub.net or leave a message at 612-724-5816.
100th Anniversary Reading of The Great Gatsby
Thursday, April 10, 2025
1 to 7 p.m.
Minnesota History Center
345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul
MNHS Center admission: $15 adult; $12 senior (65+)
MNHS members free
651-259-3000
www.thefriends.org/fitzgerald
Join the Friends of the St. Paul Library at the Minnesota History Center for a live reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, 100 years to the day after it was published. This will be a full read through of the novel, from start to finish. Drop in to hear a page, a chapter, or the entire book!
While you’re at the History Center, see items related to Fitzgerald from the MNHS Collections on display in the Gale Family Library.
This event is part of the Friends of the St. Paul Library’s “Gatsby at 100,” a series of events in 2025 revisiting the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby. To mark this milestone, The Friends invites all of us to revisit the book and consider how its themes apply today. Learn more and browse programs at thefriends.org/fitzgerald.
Twin Cities Bungalow Club Presents:
Seeking Homes for the 2025 Bungalow Club Home Tour
Saturday, May 10, 2025
We are hunting for houses for the 2025 Bungalow Club home tour!
Do you have a charming bungalow or other early 20th century house? Do you appreciate other homeowners who put their houses on tours so you can benefit from their ideas and enthusiasm? Then you may be a candidate for our next tour. We could not do it without the generosity of homeowners!
Email us at mail@bungalowclub.net or call 612-724-5816.
An Introduction to Hennepin County
An ongoing exhibit
Hennepin History Museum
2303 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis
Adults $8; students/seniors $5
Free for museum members
612-870-1329
hennepinhistory.org/avada_portfolio/an-introduction-to-hennepin-county/
This exhibit consists of six main panels, covering topics from Hennepin County’s pre-settlement home of the Dakota; the establishment of the County in 1852; the rise of local industry; and the diverse immigrant populations that moved here.
Red Wing Pottery Exhibition and Event
Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pottery Museum of Red Wing
240 Harrison St., Red Wing
Admission free
Call ahead for group tours (5 or more, $3 per person)
651-327-2220
potterymuseumredwing.org
There is nothing better than spending a day in Red Wing, Minnesota. While you are there, stop in at the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. The museum houses more than 6,000 vintage pieces of artisan-crafted stoneware, art pottery, dinnerware and folk art.
Currently on view is a special exhibition: “The Red Wing Saloon.” This exhibit shows what a saloon looked like prior to January 16, 1920, when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, prohibiting “intoxicating liquors” in the U.S.
See how liquor was dispensed from advertising jugs produced by Red Wing companies for businesses throughout the country. (In one month alone in 1910, the pottery shipped more than 6,400 jugs.)
Classes Offered by Rethos
Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) has a new name—Rethos—and a greatly expanded ambition. The organization has reinvented itself as a nationwide organization that strengthens communities within the context of historic spaces. Rethos is focused on finding new uses for historic buildings of all types by offering educational programs; coordinating Main Street programs in rural cities; advocating for public policies that bolster historic properties; and fostering investment partnerships to save historic buildings. For a full description of the new organization, visit: www.rethos.org/whynowhyrethos
Photo courtesy of Rethos.
One of Rethos’ goals is to build a community of homeowners, craftspeople, DIYers, realtors, and anyone who cares about (or cares for) old buildings. Hands-on workshops and classes connect you to the tools, skills, and experiences you need to take good care of the places you love.
Bungalow Club members will be especially interested in the Homeowner Workshops. Classes vary but typical topics are window repair including wood rot; leaking pipes and clogs; how furnaces and boilers work; and kitchen cabinets and countertops. Check the Rethos website for the listing of upcoming classes and workshops.
Fix-It Clinics
Repairing a sandal is possible via a Hennepin County Fix-It Clinic virtual session.
Get help with your broken stuff and learn valuable repair skills at free Fix-It Clinics. Currently, one-on-one virtual repair sessions with volunteers are available. Check online for the process to sign up.
Fix-It Clinics offer free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Fix-It Clinics teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, build community connections and reduce the number of repairable items that are thrown in the trash.
Contact Nancy Lo at nancy.lo@co.hennepin.mn.us or 612-348-9195 with questions or to volunteer.
Ramsey County Fix-It Clinics
www.ramseycounty.us/residents/recycling-waste/education/fix-it-clinics
Fix-it Clinics were canceled in 2020. Check their website for updates or call 651-266-1199.
