The Tallest Building In Minnesota Was Once Right Here In Rochester

Long before Minneapolis and the Twin Cities claimed the skyline, the tallest building in the entire state of Minnesota once rose right here in Rochester. It's a surprising chapter of the Med City's history that's still hiding in plain sight.

Join us now, as we take a walk down Memory Lane and tell a story of ambition, architecture, and a time when this city quite literally stood above the rest of the state here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

A Look Back at Rochester’s History as Minnesota’s Skyscraper Leader

While Rochester is the third-largest city in Minnesota, these days, when it comes to tall buildings and city skylines, Minnesota's Med City is sometimes overlooked. But Rochester *does* have some tall buildings of its own. And we once had the tallest building in the entire state.

SEE ALSO: What Are the Tallest Buildings in Rochester?

The building that once held that prestigious title is one that's already designated as a National Historic Landmark. It's Mayo Clinic's famous Plummer Building, and it's been associated with Rochester since it first opened nearly 100 years ago.

According to Mayo Clinic: 

Opened in 1928, the Plummer Building is an iconic symbol of Mayo Clinic, designated as a National Historic Landmark. It is named for Henry S. Plummer, M.D., the “diversified genius” who designed it and who created many of the systems and procedures – such as the medical record and registration system – still in use at Mayo Clinic today.

The Plummer Building: Once the Tallest Structure in Minnesota

And, once upon a time, the Plummer Building wasn't just the tallest building in Rochester; it also took that title for the entire state of Minnesota. For four years, no other building in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, or any other Minnesota city towered over the Plummer Building.

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But that would change in 1932, when the Minneapolis skyline added another classic building: The Foshay Tower.

The Society of Architectural Historians notes that the Plummer Building stands at 292 feet, which made it 'the tallest structure in Minnesota until 1932, when it was surpassed by the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis,' which stands at 447 feet.

How Rochester’s Skyline Compares to Minneapolis and St. Paul Today

These days, even the Foshay Tower has been dwarfed by even taller buildings. Wells Fargo Place is the tallest building overall in Saint Paul, while Cray Plaza has the most floors, coming in at 46.

The IDS Center in Minneapolis, however, has 57 floors and stands 792 feet high, which makes it not only the tallest in Minneapolis but the tallest building in the entire state of Minnesota as well.

While the Plummer Building may not be the tallest in Minnesota, or even here in Rochester, it's still the most iconic building associated with the Med City. But do you know which neighborhoods in Rochester have the highest price tags? Keep scrolling to check out Rochester's 10 Richest Neighborhoods!