Martha Bass House 365 Summit Avenue

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The house at 365 Summit Avenue was built in 1892 for Martha Bass. Martha was the widow of Jacob W. Bass, an early pioneer in Saint Paul. She married Jacob in Iowa when she was about 16, and the couple came to Saint Paul in 1847. After Jacob died in 1889, she decided to invest in a house on Summit Avenue. Designed by James Knox Taylor, the home was originally Queen Anne in style, but with the addition of the Ionic portico in the early part of the 20th century, it now resembles more of a Neo Classic design. Martha lived in the house with her son Frank, his wife Lydia, and their children. They stayed in the house until 1903, when they exchanged houses with Chauncey and Mary Griggs, at 422 Laurel Avenue. Martha lived with her son’s family until her death on August 3rd, 1913.