Saving Old Saint Paul

Saving Old Saint Paul Join us as we renovate old places… The past lives through each and every one of us. Please follow us on our blog as we figure out how to do just that!

It's our vision to bring the Wright Prendergast House back to its original glory and share it with all those who wish to step back in time with us.

The roof is done! The shakes will weather to match the back addition in no time at all. The chimney still needs its cop...
04/17/2026

The roof is done! The shakes will weather to match the back addition in no time at all. The chimney still needs its copper cap and flues, but the roofing is finished.

We’ve been renovating our homes for years and can honestly say we’ve never come across a more organized, capable, and respectful contractor than Keith Johnson - owner of Wood River Construction. He and his crew were phenomenal.

Keith and his crew were collaborative from the start and willing to work with us after another contractor wasn’t able to finish a job due to health issues. They helped inventory our materials and were respectful and supportive of doing things our way so they matched work that was already done - even if it wasn’t their normal process. They helped trouble shoot hiccups with respect and timely communication. To top it all off, their crew cleaned the worksite every single night! 🤯

As a woman who manages our projects and does a lot of work myself, I can say that Keith treated me with a level of respect I was just not used to…and it was wildly refreshing. We can’t wait to hire them to do more than just roofing! The sense of calm we feel from knowing we have a contractor with a legitimate team to have our back when we can’t or don’t want to do the work is something we haven’t experienced and are thrilled to have.

Everyone hire Keith and his team! They fu***ng rock!

https://woodriverconstruction.com

We installed the cedar shakes on the back addition two years ago but struggled to find a contractor to pick up the work ...
04/08/2026

We installed the cedar shakes on the back addition two years ago but struggled to find a contractor to pick up the work to finish the front, which also required additional insulation and new decking. Our original roofing crew ended up unable to complete the project due to a medical issue of one of the 2 man crew. We have been stuck with all the supplies since 2023 and nobody willing to do the work!

We finally found someone, so our roof is almost complete! Assuming they install the shakes to our satisfaction, we will share the referral soon. Up until now, they’ve been phenomenal - timely, clean, and efficient, respectful.

Stone veneer goes on the chimney tomorrow (will match foundation) and then cedar shakes shortly after. A copper ridge roll and chimney cap will top it all off and be beautiful while helping to keep our shakes free of organic matter as they age. Once the weather warms up a bit more we’ll also be tackling the front gable and chinking.

Unfortunately, a previous owner painted just the one side of the cabin red. It’s deeply penetrated the cracks and splits in the logs, so our plan is to simply let it weather away further. Maybe just a very light wire brushing on some of the intense parts.

Good morning everyone! Meet Sean Ryan - our dear friend, amazing visionary, and master of making things happen. After ...
02/26/2026

Good morning everyone! Meet Sean Ryan - our dear friend, amazing visionary, and master of making things happen. After years of working in the trenches of development, hospitality, and preservation, he’s bringing his expertise and passion to partnering with us to work towards the restoration and redevelopment of The Rex Hotel.

If you want to know more about Sean or what we’re up to, please come to the meeting tonight at 5 pm at the VFW!

Even being considered for the opportunity to bring The Rex Hotel back to life is truly an honor and a privilege. Please ...
02/26/2026

Even being considered for the opportunity to bring The Rex Hotel back to life is truly an honor and a privilege.

Please join the Baudette City Council, representatives from the Lake of the Woods County Board, and fellow community members tomorrow at 5:00 PM at the VFW to ask questions, share ideas, and learn more about our vision for the future of this important community asset.

Years ago, when we carefully dismantled the cabin’s interior ahead of our major renovation, we saved a remarkable cache ...
02/23/2026

Years ago, when we carefully dismantled the cabin’s interior ahead of our major renovation, we saved a remarkable cache of old lumber that was later confirmed to be reused subflooring. Some of the planks were nearly two feet wide.

We’re thrilled to keep this extraordinary old-growth wood in use throughout the cabin, and our carpenter is thoughtfully incorporating it into new work. This cabinet is the first piece made from that salvaged lumber—wood from trees that may have begun growing as far back as the 1600s.

This guest room at our cabin is ALMOST completely done! Our carpenter gets back to work after the New Year on the final ...
12/31/2025

This guest room at our cabin is ALMOST completely done! Our carpenter gets back to work after the New Year on the final window casings and more built-ins throughout the cabin. We have some odds and ends trim to put up ourselves as well, but we’re pumped to host friends here tonight for New Years!

12/31/2025

We’ve had some people ask what the Invisacook sounds like, as induction cooktops have a low hum. You can definitely hear it but it’s barely noticeable above the sound of what’s being cooked. Here’s a video without boiling water so you can hear it a bit better.

12/28/2025

Check out our double burner induction cooktop! This is by far one of coolest investments we’ve made in the cabin. We wanted to keep all the modern appliances hidden to keep the vibe super historic.

https://www.invisacook.com

Here are some glam shots of the house all spiffed up for the holidays. We’ve been working hard to finish lots of small ...
12/27/2025

Here are some glam shots of the house all spiffed up for the holidays. We’ve been working hard to finish lots of small projects and it’s really showing!

Merry Christmas to us! December 5th marks the 12th anniversary of us owning the Wright Prendergast House. The upstairs ...
12/22/2025

Merry Christmas to us! December 5th marks the 12th anniversary of us owning the Wright Prendergast House. The upstairs hallway has always been in need of floor refinishing but has never been high on the priority list. We finally buckled down and got it done.

The first image is of the horrible carpet pad that had fused to the floor throughout most of the house. We had to hand scrape all of it off and it took months to remove. Ohhh, we remember back when we thought it would only take a few years to restore the entire place. 😂🫠

Madison Stove works has been hard at work restoring the antique wood cookstove we bought from a house in Dayton’s Bluff....
12/17/2025

Madison Stove works has been hard at work restoring the antique wood cookstove we bought from a house in Dayton’s Bluff. It had never left the original home in which it was installed and then spent years following us from storage units to garages as we worked on the cabin. The entire kitchen was designed with this beautiful piece in mind!

We’re driving to pick it up after Christmas and can’t wait to see it in place. All in, the cost of purchase and restoration was less than most new ones and it keeps this beautiful piece of history in use for generations to come.

Feel free to DM us if you’re interested in details. We always hope to share our story to inspire others to save beautiful old places and things!

When you spend way too much money on antique bin pulls that look like your dog…
11/20/2025

When you spend way too much money on antique bin pulls that look like your dog…

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Saint Paul, MN
55102

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