Ramsey County History – Summer 2010: “‘A Rented House Is Not a Home:’ Thomas Frankson: Real Estate Promoter and Unorthodox Politician”

“A Rented House Is Not a Home:” Thomas Frankson: Real Estate Promoter and Unorthodox Politician
Author: Roger Bergerson

Thomas Frankson, a real estate developer, oil land speculator, and often successful politician is no longer well known. His house near the western entrance of Como Park with its two concrete lions is, however, easily recognized. Frankson was originally from southern Minnesota, where he was a successful real estate salesman and a member of the state’s House of Representatives. He moved to St. Paul in 1913 and plunged into real estate development, starting with a 120-acre tract on the western edge of Como Park. He coined the phrase “A rented house is not a home” and took out frequent ads in newspapers. At the same time, he began building a home of his own on Midway Parkway with a backyard that included buffalo and other exotic animals. A sidebar detailing the history of the house is included. Although Frankson was not officially a member of the Non-Partisan League, he shared many of its radical perspectives. He also renewed his political career and ran a successful campaign for Minnesota’s lieutenant governor. In 1920, he made a run for governor but failed badly and left politics. He platted out several other St. Paul neighborhoods before his death in 1939 from a suspected heart attack.
PDF of Bergerson article