Rochester in Olmsted County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Avalon Building

January 2, 2020

1. The Avalon Building Marker

Inscription.

This property has been placed on the
National Register of Historic Places
by the United States Department of the Interior

Erected 1982.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture.

Location. 44° 1.587′ N, 92° 27.794′ W. Marker is in Rochester, Minnesota, in Olmsted County. It is at the intersection of North Broadway and 3rd Street NW, on the right when traveling south on North Broadway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 N Broadway, Rochester MN 55906, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Heritage House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Rochester Armory Building

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(about 500 feet away); Central Park Plaza (about 600 feet away); The Chateau Theatre (approx. ¼ mile away); The Plummer Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); Rochester Public Library Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Calvary Episcopal Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Dr. William Worrall Mayo (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rochester.

Regarding The Avalon Building. The building was built in 1919 by a Jewish man named Sam Sternberg as the Northwestern Hotel, a place where Jews could stay at a time when most Minnesota hotels refused them.
Verne Manning bought the building in 1944 and changed the name to the Avalon. It was the first hotel in Rochester to accept black guests, as well as white. Well-known people, such as Duke Ellington, stayed at the Avalon Hotel.

By the 1980s, the building was unused and run down. Myrna Hamilton purchased it in 1987 and renovated it to house her Hamilton Music store. When Hamilton retired in 2008, Stephen Lalama bought it and moved in his Rochester Pro Music. He changed the name to Avalon Music, to honor the building’s history.

Also see . . . Avalon Hotel (U.S. National Park Service).

The Avalon Building and Marker image. Click for full size.

January 2, 2020

2. The Avalon Building and Marker

(Submitted on July 3, 2023.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 6, 2020, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 534 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 6, 2020, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia.