Ramsey County History – Winter 2019: “The Tazewell: 100 Years in the Life of a St. Paul Apartment”

The Tazewell: 100 Years in the Life of a St. Paul Apartment
Authors: Aine C. McCormack and Eileen R. McCormack

If the walls of a century-old apartment building could talk, what stories might they tell about those who once resided there? Eileen and Aine McCormack, a mother/daughter duo from St. Paul, worked through old documents and oral histories to bring the story of the Tazewell Apartments, located at the corner of Laurel and Western Avenues, to life. Theirs is a fascinating tale of the lifecycle of one of architect Perry E. Crosier’s early works; from birth and early years, to the stable middle years, to an eventual death and rebirth. The McCormack’s invite readers to step from the courtyard into this Craftsman/early Prairie School edifice to catch a glimpse of its former renters. While the building fell into disrepair in the 1970s, it reopened in 1980 as condominiums. Today, Tazewell condo owners enjoy living in the shadow of the past with a variety of modern shops, restaurants, and businesses right around the corner.
PDF of A. McCormack & E. McCormack article