National Register of Historic Places

Hinkly, R. B., House

Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota
Listed
June 9, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75001027

About this property

The Hinkly House Museum is a restored Victorian mansion located in Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota owned and operated by the Rock County Historical Society. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Built in 1892 by (Ray Benjamin) R.B. Hinkly, a prominent local businessman and one of Luverne's founders, the house is executed with Queen Anne design features. The house is constructed from Sioux Quartzite mined from Hinkly's own quarry (now part of Blue Mounds State Park). At the time it was built, it was thought to be the "most handsome house" in all of southern Minnesota. Donated to the Rock County Historical Society in 1959, the Hinkly House Museum features twelve rooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious attic, all restored to reflect the style of the late 1800s. Visitors can tour the house and period furnishings, wallpapers recreated to match the originals, and ceilings that echo the designs of the era. A unique feature of the Hinkly House is the basement tunnel connecting to a hidden dynamite storage room in the backyard, a reminder of Hinkly's involvement in quarrying. The careful restoration throughout the house offers a glimpse into the lives of a wealthy family in late 19th-century Minnesota. Hinkly's career spanned law, media, and finance. Before banking, he practiced law and edited a newspaper in Claremont, Iowa. He then played a key role in establishing financial institutions across Minnesota and South Dakota. He founded the Luverne Brick and Tile Company, Luverne's largest industry. In addition, he owned several thousand acres of land in Rock County and Texas. The heirs of the R. B. Hinkly family presented the house to the Rock County Historical Society in 1959. Today the Rock County Historical Society owns and manages the day-to-day operations of house museum. The museum is open for public tours seasonally from June to August and also anytime by appointment. The house also occasionally hosts exhibits such as a replica of President Abraham Lincoln's coffin in the house's parlor room. National Register of Historic Places listings in Rock County, Minnesota

Location

217 N. Freeman Ave.
Luverne, Rock County, Minnesota
43.65619, -96.20961

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Hinkly, R. B., House

This page lists Hinkly, R. B., House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Hinkly, R. B., House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Luverne Carnegie Library
Industrial
0.1 mi
Gerber, J. W., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Kniss, Pierce J., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Holy Trinity Church-Episcopal
Industrial
0.1 mi
Rock County Courthouse and Jail
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hinkly, R. B., House listed on the National Register?

Hinkly, R. B., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Hinkly, R. B., House?

Hinkly, R. B., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hinkly, R. B., House?

The period of significance for Hinkly, R. B., House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Hinkly, R. B., House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hinkly, R. B., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Rock County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Rock County.

Explore RockCounty ›

More historic places in Minnesota

Browse all historic places in Minnesota.

View Minnesotahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Minnesota history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Minnesotahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Hinkly, R. B., House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report