Dacotah Cottage in Frontenac

28743 Garrard Ave, Frontenac, MN

28743 Garrard Ave, Frontenac, MN

It was in 1859 that Lewis Garrard moved to Frontenac (thus named the same year) and built a small one and a half story house with a few one-story wings coming off the main house. The main entrance faced the lake, had a small porch and balcony, and the property was surrounded by a white fence. He had been here before eight years earlier with his brother Israel, both men looking for land and investment opportunities. While his older brother stayed and became part owner of the town (called Westervelt at the time) with Evert Westervelt, Lewis traveled back home to Cincinnati and then on to Europe.

Original Dacotah Cottage

Original Dacotah Cottage

After his return, Mr. Garrard married in 1862 and decided to expand the home for his new family. The original house was turned into the larger, two-story home we see today, with hipped roof, covered front porch with sleeping porch above, larger double-hung windows, decorative lentils, and shutters. Later, a one story, northern wing that housed his medical office was removed and moved a block south.

Dactoah Cottage in Winter

In 1869, scarlet fever was sweeping through the small river towns. Lewis Garrard’s two young sons were stricken with the illness and later died. Devastated by their loss, the Garrard family moved to Lake City. Amazingly, they did not sell the house, but maintained it for the next 56 years, finally selling the home in 1926. It was purchased by Ted Hall, son of Osee Hall, a long time friend of the Garrard family. How long they owned it, I am not sure, but the home has been with the Hodgson family since 1960.

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5 Responses to “Dacotah Cottage in Frontenac”

  1. elle g says:

    Wondering if Dacotah cottage is or will be back on the market soon? Thank you.

  2. Ellen Stewart says:

    The Hodgson family took the home off the market when a family member moved into Dacotah Cottage in 2014. The family does not intend to sell the home.

  3. Paul Lindner says:

    Lewis Garrard was my great grandfather. His two daughters, Edith and Anna, married two brothers named Wilson. At some point, Edith regained ownership of Dacotah, and in 1940 her sister Anna, my grandmother, and her family lived there. I lived there during the WW2 years when my father, a naval officer, was serving in the Pacific aboard the Battleship USS South Dakota. and we spent every summer there up until the mid 1950’s when my grandparents passed away. Back then everyone on the terrace knew everyone else, and most of the townspeople. As a kid (I am now 75), I roamed through all the houses on the terrace. St. Huberts, Winona, Locust Lodge, Greystone. Your post on Locust Lodge is correct, the Antiblians lived there, and it passed on to their daughter. There is much history in Frontenac, especially when the old Hotel was a regular stop for the riverboats in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Mark twain, F.Scott Fitzgerald, and many other notables partied there in it’s heyday. A few years back, Dr. Hodgson, now deceased, was kind enough to give my wife and me a tour of the house. Quite nostalgic. He said that as long as it was in his family, any member of the Garrard family would be welcome. I hope to be able to take him up on that offer once more before I am gone.

    • Lorry Wendland says:

      Paul Lindner, I am writing a history of 19th Century Frontenac. A picture of Anna and Edith would be appreciated for the Dacotah Cottage chapter. To be included in publication, would need picture(s) by Sept 2017.
      Thanks for consideration.

      • Paul Lindner says:

        Hi Lorry, I just now saw your message. I have many pictures and would be happy to share them with you. I can scan and send to your address. Do you have copies of the DVD and book of Old Frontenac put out by Bill Webster? He lived in Greystone. The volume of material I have is huge. I am in NJ, where are you located? I assume somewhere near Frontenac. Let me know how you wish to proceed. Paul

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