Self-guided fillebrown house tour
Welcome to the Charles P. Noyes Cottage – affectionately known as the Fillebrown House! Built in 1879, the former summer home has only had 3 owners prior to the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society.
Charlies & Emily Noyes (1879-1881)
Charles, a wealthy pharmaceutical owner, built this cottage to be a summer home for his wife Emily and their younger daughters. They enjoyed two summers at the cottage before selling it and buying land on Manitou Island to build a new summer home.
George & Ellen Young (1881 – 1905)
George, an Associate Justice of the MN Supreme Court and a lawyer for James J. Hill, and his wife, Ellen, summered at the cottage until his illness led to its sale in 1905. The family then returned to St. Paul permanently, where George died in 1906.
The Fillebrown Family (1905 – 1979)
Jonas & Harriet (Hallie) (1905-1930) | Helen & Arthur Fillebrown (1930-1978)
Jonas, a wealthy fruit wholesaler, and his wife Hallie initially used the Fillebrown Cottage as a summer retreat for themselves and their teenagers, Helen and Arthur. In 1920, they sold their St. Paul home to live at the Fillebrown year-round, making it more suitable for all seasons.
After Jonas and Hallie’s deaths in the 1930s, Helen and Arthur, who never married, supported themselves through various ventures, including a nursery school, a tearoom, and a home for boarders.
In 1978, they gifted the home to the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society for future generations.
We welcome you to the heart of the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society and hope you fall in love with its unique and often understated design just as we have.
Want even more Fillebrown?
Check out our historian-led tours of the 1879 cottage to learn even more about this amazing property and the people who lived here! Guided tours take place on the first Saturday of every month with special holiday tours in December.
Don’t forget: WBLAHS Members receive free Fillebrown tours AND discounts on WBLAHS events.
