The A.G. Whitney home
Alice Whitney promoted values of civil advocacy, philanthropy, education and social awareness. These values shaped the foundation of Alice Whitney’s character and the home her family lived in – the A.G. Whitney home. The structure of the home is built with physical materials, but the principles in which Alice Whitney lived by are not. Alice lived her life pursuing efforts that made her one of the most respected and well-known individuals in the St. Cloud area during her lifetime. Mrs. Whitney hosted many guests, from the disenfranchised African-American performers Marian Anderson and Roland Hayes, to the most influential first lady of the era – Eleanor Roosevelt. The impact of Mrs. Whitney’s hospitality resonates through the walls of the A.G. Whitney home and left a lasting impression on her character to central Minnesota.
The A.G. Whitney home is an impressive structure. The beautiful brick exterior presents the colonial-style architecture of the home. The exterior bricks are built of hollow tile veneered with Oriental autumn leaf brick. Shuttered windows surround the external walls of the home, meanwhile a small classical portico with columns and entablature detail the entrance of the Whitney residence. The colonial design of the A.G. Whitney home resembles the Georgian mansions of Tidewater, Virginia – the Georgian Revival style. The house covers a surface area of 80 by 57 feet and was worth $30,000 in that time period. As a guest would enter through the front door of the A.G. Whitney home, inside they would find high ceilings, a large staircase for family members and guests and many large walls. These old, mansion walls have stories to tell.
Stories begin with the guests that stayed at the A.G. Whitney house while they were performing in the St. Cloud area, promoting a cause or simply looking for a place to stay for the evening. Mrs. Whitney was a hospitable woman who did not let prejudices and racial stereotypes waiver her welcoming spirit. The African-American vocal performers, Marian Anderson and Roland Hayes were the first famous guests to stay at the A.G. Whitney home. Both individuals were not allowed to stay at any of the hotels in St. Cloud during the time period due to their ethnicity. Consequently, Mrs. Whitney learned of their denial from the local hotels and offered up her home to the performers. While many criticized her actions for supporting racial integration, Alice paid them no mind. She judged people by the content of their character and not by what skin color they were. She welcomed each guest with open arms and made sure their stay in St. Cloud,Minnesota, was exceptional.
Marian Anderson and Roland Hayes were well known vocal performers of the time period and guests to the A.G. Whitney home; however, they were not the only famous people to stay at the house. Another prominent and inspiring visitor to the A.G. Whitney home was Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor visited St. Cloud, Minnesota, to promote education and stayed at the A.G. Whitney residence. Eleanor and Alice had similar interests; they both had a vision for strong, quality education. Like Eleanor, Mrs. Whitney was involved in many clubs, societies and causes which promoted civil advocacy, philanthropy, education and social awareness. On the national level, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was a strong advocate for human rights and promoted her causes through public awareness and philanthropic efforts. The striking resemblance between these two strong woman figures of this time is remarkable. Both women had a strong willpower and were driven to make a difference throughout their lives.
As I toured the A.G. Whitney home, I tried to imagine the dialogue between Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and Mrs. Alice Whitney. This beautiful home in central Minnesota hosted two powerful women of the time period who shared similar interests in civil advocacy, philanthropy, education and social awareness. Each woman had a great vision for a better nation and most likely shared that vision with each other during their time together. When I stepped foot on the front steps of the entrance to the A.G. Whitney home, I was caught in a historical moment. I closed my eyes to picture the very steps that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once stood on – the thought of sharing steps with one of the most influential woman in history was empowering. Eleanor Roosevelt was a model citizen with strong character. She fostered ideas that were essential to living a life of dignity and respect. During the time period, many people believed in her as much as she believed in herself and the causes she promoted.
The A.G. Whitney home was structured on the strong personal values of Mrs. Whitney and her family. Although the magnificent architecture established the A.G. Whitney residence as one of the most beautiful places in St. Cloud at the time, the external beauty does not resonate as well as the old walls of the home. The old walls have stories to tell of popular guests, social awareness and racial tolerance. Mrs. Whitney was always interested in civic and church affairs and put her heart and soul into each cause. Alice believed in the city and people of St. Cloud and gave her loyalty and devoted service to the city through her philanthropic efforts. Mrs. Whitney possessed an amazing vigor in her personality which is hard to emulate. The A.G. Whitney home stands today because of the strong material foundation that supported it over the years; Mrs. Whitney remains a legacy today for the principles she promoted and followed throughout her life.
