The Landing in Shakopee in Scott County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Art of Architecture

Professional's Home

Photographed by McGhiever, November 8, 2024

1. The Art of Architecture Marker

Inscription.

The architectural style of a home can tell you a lot about the people who built it. This home, built in the 1860s in the "Carpenter Gothic" or "Rural Gothic" style, uses jig-sawn ornamental woodwork to highlight the home's ornate porch and steeply peaked roofline. These purely decorative features added to the cost of the home, and were seen as an indicator of wealth. A home like this would likely belong to a middle-class professional, such as a doctor or lawyer.

Through books, newspapers, and popular magazine articles, Andrew Jackson Downing popularized the building of "gothic cottages" like this one in the mid-1800s. A popular "influencer" in his day, Downing not only provided building designs, but also gave advice for landscaping and furnishing the homes as well to create a unified aesthetic, connecting the home with its natural surroundings.

Images: Courtesy of University of California Libraries

Built: Late 1860s for Isaac Atwater
Original Location: Minneapolis, MN
Building Name: Atwater House

Did You Know?
This home was originally located in the footprint of the high-rise apartment buildings in the
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Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Erected by Three Rivers Park District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Communications. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.

Location. 44° 48.202′ N, 93° 29.552′ W. Marker is in Shakopee, Minnesota, in Scott County. It is in The Landing. It can be reached from County Road 101. The marker is at The Landing heritage park, on the west edge of the village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2187 County Highway 101, Shakopee MN 55379, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Minnesota River Valley

and in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

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,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Come Together! (a few steps from this

The Art of Architecture Marker and the Atwater House at The Landing image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, November 8, 2024

2. The Art of Architecture Marker and the Atwater House at The Landing

marker); Caring for the Community (a few steps from this marker); The House the Banker Built (within shouting distance of this marker); All Under One Roof (within shouting distance of this marker); Sunlight Wanted (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to The Landing: Minnesota River Heritage Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Network Connection (within shouting distance of this marker); One-Stop Shop (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shakopee.

More about this marker. The grounds of The Landing are free to access year-round.

Also see . . . Look Inside (QR code on marker). (Submitted on June 23, 2025, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2025, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 107 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 23, 2025, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.