Minnesota
The Southern Minnesota Home that No One Wanted, Even for Free
If you were given the opportunity to own a historic home for free, would you take it? With how expensive homes are you would think you would! But there’s a home in Jordan, Minnesota that was offered for free, and still, no one wanted it. But why?
The historic home was owned by the city of Jordan’s first female mayor Gail Andersen, according to the Star Tribune. It was eventually inherited by her granddaughter Barbara Kochlin. While the outside looks decent, Barbara says the inside is “‘godawful ugly’”.
Credit: Barbara Kochlin
In the spring of 2019, Barbara had been attempting to sell the property for the past year and even went as far as listing the home for free, but still, no one bought the house. Why? Because the home would have to be moved once it was purchased.
Credit: Barbara Kochlin
It needed to be moved because it was on a plot of land meant for commercial use. Barbara wanted to turn it into a triplex, according to the Star Tribune, but that required her to make a large enough parking lot, which wasn’t possible with the amount of land around it. She attempted to get the city to change the land to residential land so it could be used as a single-family home but they said no.
Credit: Barbara Kochlin
So long story short, this home needed to be moved by the buyers, which costs tons and tons of money to do. But if Barbara didn’t find a buyer, the city was going to demolish the home. That’s where Joshua Colonna, a developer with Red Brick LLC and Colonna Acquisitions, comes in.
Credit: Barbara Kochlin
SW News Media says that after he heard about the home in the spring of 2019, he decided he wanted to take on the project. Red Brick has “‘restored over 100 properties through Minnesota, West Virginia, Tennessee and Florida.’” So Barbara successfully found a buyer! Then there was another snag in the road, there were no lots in the area that the house could be moved to. Because of this, they came up with an agreement that would allow the house to stay where it is and bring it up to code.
Credit: Barbara Kochlin
I was able to find the home on Google Maps and it appears it’s still in the same spot. It also looks like there’s a for sale sign in front of the home as of September of 2021. I’m not sure what that’s all about because I can’t find an active listing for this home, but I’m just happy it wasn’t demolished!
Keep scrolling to take a look at a beautiful, historical castle you can stay in here in Minnesota.
Feel Like Royalty When Your Stay in this Historic Castle Just 75 Minutes from Rochester
You’re bound to feel like royalty when you stay at this bed and breakfast in La Crosse, Wisconsin called Castle La Crosse. It’s about 75 minutes from Rochester, Minnesota and it’s a historic castle that was built in 1892. It’s been owned by a few families and a church but in 2017 it was transformed into a beautiful bed and breakfast.
Gallery Credit: Carly Ross
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly trading three-time All-Star Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.
Minnesota is sending the 28th pick to the Nets and will be receiving the No. 33 pick that will be made in the second round on Wednesday night, according to a person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not received the required approvals from the league office.
For Minnesota, the trade opens up a slew of financial possibilities. It creates a $33 million trade exception, plus gives the Timberwolves room they can use to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu and target more players in free agency.
Randle, a three-time All-Star, will be moving to his fifth team after stints with New York, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans and the Timberwolves. He averaged 21.1 points this past season, though shot just 39% from the field and 24% from 3-point range in Minnesota’s 12 playoff contests.
Claxton just finished his seventh NBA season, all with Brooklyn. He averaged 11.7 points this past season.
The 2026 NBA Draft begins Tuesday night.
At Senator Westrom’s St. Paul office, visitors are greeted by the classic Minnesota state flag, which the DFL leaders should not have taken away from Minnesotans.
However, local communities have the authority to keep flying it, like many have done, and Senator Westrom encourages communities interested in keeping it to do so.
News-Tribune, June 22, 1926
More Duluthians cast votes in yesterday’s primary election than in any primary in the city’s history. Statewide, the “wets” had their day, with M.J. Maas of St. Paul, a “light wine and beer” candidate, appearing victorious in the 4th Congressional District, and W.A. Pittenger of Duluth, similarly regarded as a “wet,” taking a commanding lead in the 8th.
News-Tribune, June 22, 1956
Following the deaths of a pilot and eight civilians in a crash in a residential area near Wold Chamberlain Field in Minneapolis, Duluth Mayor Eugene Lambert filed a request with the U.S. Air Force and Navy that jet training operations be transferred to Duluth, where congestion is less of a problem.
News-Tribune, June 22, 1976
Ralph Nader named Duluth environmentalist Arlene Lehto one of America’s five “unsung heroines” for her contributions to pollution abatement. Lehto in 1969 organized the Save Lake Superior Association to fight pollution in the lake.
News Tribune, June 22, 2006
Duluth City Councilor Russ Stewart will present an ordinance to the council that extends the city’s existing standards for adult bookstores to adult entertainment. The move would allow the 62-year-old Club Saratoga to continue operation in the face of a state law prohibiting strip clubs within 500 feet of a residence or within 2,800 feet of churches and schools.
Barrett Chase has been web editor for the News Tribune since 2015. You can email him at bchase@duluthnews.com or call him at 218-723-5310.
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