Italianate Historic Home in West Seventh Uppertown, Saint Paul

194 McBoal Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Built between 1877-1880, this Italianate home was chopped into apartments for most of its life until recent owners restored the home to single family. Known as the O’Brien-Diederich House, Patrick O’Brien and his wife Fannie were the original owners, with the Diederich family taking ownership sometime around 1889.

Born in 1841 in Ireland, the O’Brien family immigrated to the United States in 1843, and settled in Saint Paul in the 1850’s. Eventually, Patrick O’Brien worked his way up in the postal service to Assistant Postmaster of Saint Paul, appointed as such in 1875 by Frederick Driscoll (who built 266 Summit Avenue). He had six children with dress maker and wife, Frances (Fannie) Higgins O’Brien.

The current owners have done a fantastic job resorting the home to look as it might have originally. The detail and porch reconstruction, completed by Authentic Construction, is simply stunning.

The Minnesota Historical Society has a photo of the carriage step with the family name Diederich, the second owner of the home, taken in 1936.

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