ANTHONY CAPONI HOME & ART PARK
Planning for the future of a midcentury house
“Everything went really well. New History was easy to work with, and they have a deep understanding of how the process works. I felt like I was working with real people instead of an impersonal government agency."
- Cheryl Caponi, Executive Director, Caponi Art Park
LOCATION
CLIENT
CONSTRUCTED
PROJECT DATE
PROJECT SCOPE
Eagan, MN
Caponi Art Park
1950 - 1994
2020 - 2022
Historical research, evaluation of National Register of Historic Places eligibility
An evaluation of a unique landscape opens doors for the future.
CHALLENGE
The 60-acre Caponi Art Park, located in the Twin Cities suburb of Eagan, Minnesota, was designed by the late Twin Cities sculptor and arts educator Anthony Caponi. Beginning in 1950, Caponi constructed his house and a studio on the site and shaped the surrounding landscape into a park where art and nature were seamlessly integrated for public enjoyment. As part of planning for the long-term preservation and maintenance of the Caponi Home, the current owner sought to understand the property’s potential eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, and obtained a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to complete National Register property evaluations of both the house and the surrounding art park.
SUCCESS
Following archival research and on-site assessment of the property, New History recommended the house and 20 acres of the surrounding landscape as eligible for the National Register. New History’s work has positioned the house and park for potential National Register listing and its associated benefits, including additional grant funding for condition assessments and physical improvements to the property.