House history information was compiled and edited from many sources, including the Historic Dayton House tour script, brochures, conversations with family members, notes from board meetings, etc.

Other sources included:

Dayton, Bruce B., and E. B. Green. George Draper Dayton: A Man of Parts. Minneapolis: Privately published, 1997.

Dayton, George D. George Draper Dayton: An Autobiography. Privately published, 1993.

Green, Ellen B. [E.B. Green Editorial]. History and Architectural History. In Dayton House, Worthington, Minnesota: Historic Structure Report, pp. 9-29. La Crosse, Wisconsin: River Architects, Inc., [2002].

Wallace L. Dow

Wallace Dow was known as the "Builder on the Prairie" and considered the premier architect of South Dakota in the late 19th century. At an early age, he specialized in the construction of churches. After moving to the Dakota Territory, his work focused on large private and public institutions. Some of his work in Sioux Falls, S.D., included the State Penitentiary, the Old Minnehaha County Courthouse (now a museum), the School for the Deaf, and the Pettigrew House (museum), along with several other private residences.

Although known for his grand Sioux quartzite governmental structures and elaborate stone Queen Anne Victorians, his 1890 design for the Dayton House was done in the Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival style; a wooden structure, the design of the house appears to relate more to the New England roots of Dayton and Dow rather than the architectural style of Dow at the time.

The Historic Dayton House

The roof was designed with cedar shingles, large pediment dormers, a unique widow's walk, and three chimneys. Ornamental swags stand out in the frieze above the second story windows and are complemented by brackets and dentil molding under the rooflines of both floors. Black storms accentuate the double hung windows, and are commonplace in Dow's designs.

The home has an immense wrap-around front porch with original columns supporting the projecting roof and balcony above, which houses a beautiful Palladian-style window comprised of leaded glass. A small wrap-around porch at the back creates what was called the piazza.

At the front, you enter through cherrywood-paneled doors ornamented by leaded glass sidelights and window transom. Just beyond the small entrance vestibule, with its green, white, and red hexagonal tiles, a central hall welcomes you and is in keeping with the colonial style of the home. The main floor boasts mosaic wood flooring, double-sided cherry and oak pocket doors, intricately carved wooden fretwork above the stairs, decorative tile on the hearths, and more leaded glass windows.

The second floor, with its painted woodwork, is less ornate but has interesting features of its own including a curved wall in the central hall, an open staircase with carved banisters, a balcony, view of copper roofing, decorative fireplaces, four large bedroom chambers, and two servant's chambers.

The Dayton House is truly an artistic masterpiece.

The home is a Georgian/Colonial Revival built in 1890 for George Draper Dayton, the eventual founder of the Dayton Department Stores (now the Target Company).

The house was designed by architect Wallace Dow, who has been referred to as the Builder on the Prairie. Dow was chosen by the state of South Dakota to design its pavilion for the Chicago World's Fair in 1892–1893.

The house was originally constructed in just four months.

In 1902, the Dayton family departed for Minneapolis and the Smallwood family took up residence in the home.

It was later occupied by the Cashel family and was eventually used as a nursing home/boarding house.

In October 2002, the building was purchased for $150,000 by Historic Worthington Inc., a local non-profit group organized to preserve historic structures.

Before initiating restoration work, a Historic Structures Report was completed by River Architects with a team of conservators and other professionals. Original pieces of wallpaper and paint chips were found and were used to make the selection of the restoration materials; the wallpaper, drapes, and furnishings have been chosen to reflect the period when the Dayton family resided in the home (1890–1902).

While the woodwork, fireplaces, and floors were essentially intact, some missing or broken pieces were fabricated by local artisans.

Interesting "finds" during the restoration: a descendant of one of the former residents donated the original blueprints (eight pages) to the project; a missing fireplace mantle and mirror that had been relocated, years prior, were subsequently donated back to the project.

In December 2003, the Historic Dayton House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places; the project received one of the Minnesota Preservation Alliance's house preservation awards for 2004. The two-year restoration cost approximately $2 million.

The restored house is used as a gathering place for receptions, weddings, meetings, parties, and other social events; there are two guest suites on the second floor available to overnight guests.