"Summit Avenue, grande dame of Victorian boulevards, is lined with magnificent turn-of-the-century mansions built by railroad magnates, lumber barons and captains of industry. Great Houses of Summit Avenue and the Hill District is a celebration of these homes on St. Paul's best-known and most beloved avenue. With a foreword by Garrison Keillor and fascinating stories penned by four award-winning writers including Paul Clifford Larson, Bette Hammel, Dave Kenney, and Melinda Nelson, the book opens the doors to more than two dozen legendary homes situated on America's best-preserved avenue from the era. Photographer Karen Melvin takes us along for a tour through stately mansions to view these remarkable architectural gems. Featuring the work of notable architects including Clarence Johnston, Cass Gilbert and Alan Stem, readers experience the interiors first-hand, including the home of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Richly illustrated with hundreds of photos, this book offers an irresistible invitation to step through the doors of these showcase homes to explain what we are all curious to know. Discover how the homeowners have restored the original grandeur and rich heritage of their homes while infusing them with new life and energy"--Amazon.com, viewed November 19, 2013.