Alexander Faribault House
12 First Avenue NE
Faribault, MN 55021

Hours:
Please contact RCHS at 507-332-2121 to schedule a tour.

Tours: $5 per person, limit group of 5

(Available by appointment only, 24 hours notice required)

The Alexander Faribault House is located one block east of Downtown
Faribault.

Parking is located on the North side of the Faribault Co-Op off of 1st St NE (special signs are posted)

The Alexander Faribault House was built in the Greek Revival style in 1853 by Alexander Faribault for a cost of $4,000.00. The Faribault family lived in the house for a few years, moving a few years later to a large brick mansion on the bluffs overlooking the Straight River. The house was used as a civic center and as a private home. The house was saved from demolition in 1944 by the “Save the Faribault House Committee” and in 1945 was given to the Rice County Historical Society. Since then it has since gone through several renovations as the building has been stabilized.

Today the Faribault House displays pieces belonging to the Faribault family as well as other early Rice County settlers.

Alexander Faribault, son of John Baptiste and Pelegie Faribault, was a second generation fur trader who first came to the Cannon River Valley in 1827. He traded furs with the Wahpekute Dakota Indians. Alexander traded out of many posts along the rivers of Rice County, one of which, became the city of Faribault. After the area was opened up for settlement Alexander had the materials for a frame house brought in by ox cart from St. Paul and Hastings.

As one of the founders of the city that bears his name, Alexander was interested in many different aspects of city life. He was active in milling, railroads and banking. Additionally, he made large gifts of money and lands to local schools and the Catholic and Episcopal churches. Alexander also took an interest in civic life. He served as a government interpreter at the treaties of 1851, as a representative to the territorial legislature, on the local school board and as the first postmaster of Faribault.