Riley Lucas Bartholomew House
Encyclopedia
The Riley Lucas Bartholomew House was constructed of sawed lumber. In 1852 when Fort Snelling was greatly reduced in size, the area that would become the city of Richfield
Richfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,439 people, 15,073 households, and 8,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,993.9 people per square mile . There were 15,357 housing units at an average density of 2,226.9 per square mile...

 became available for settlement. General Riley Lucas Bartholomew
Riley Bartholomew
Riley Bartholomew was a Minnesota state senator from 1859 to 1860.Riley Bartholomew married Fanny A. Watkins in 1829. He became a merchant in Geneva, Ohio, selling clocks and later operating a hotel before the family moved to Jefferson, Ohio, the Ashtabula County seat. In 1848 he was elected sheriff...

 came to the area and filed a claim on the shores of Wood Lake
Wood Lake Nature Center
Wood Lake Nature Center is a nature preserve within Richfield, Minnesota. In addition to Wood Lake, the park contains mixed lowland forest, cattail marsh and restored prairie habitats. Three miles of walking trails and boardwalks surround the lake as well as observation shelters,docks, a picnic...

. He proceeded to build the two-story section of the home with local lumber, using white pine for the floors. His wife, Fanny and two children joined him in the spring of 1853. Soon after building the house, two additions were added by moving two single story dwellings from near Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Creek is a tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles through several suburbs west of Minneapolis and then through south Minneapolis. Including Lake Minnetonka, the watershed for the...

 and adding them on to the house. Bartholomew went on to become influential in local politics as a member of the Republican Constitutional Convention which framed the Minnesota Constitution
Minnesota Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Minnesota, USA was initially approved by the residents of Minnesota Territory in a special election held on October 13, 1857, and was ratified by the United States Senate on May 11, 1858, marking the admittance of Minnesota to the Union...

 in 1857. He also represented District Four in the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...

.

The Richfield Historical Society operates the house as the Bartholomew House Museum.

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