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Inspiration

It was common in the 1890's for women to create their own hair accessories. Victorian women actually purchased magazines that offered intricate patterns allowing them to create their own hair jewelry. The women would then spend hours weaving the hair into earrings, crucifixes, even chains for their husband's watch. Women would collect their own hair or purchase it from another source and then put it away until they had mastered the technique with the horsehair.

As artists, the women most likely would look for an inspiring yet social setting to do their craft. Maybe parishioners to this church sat listening to the preacher talk about the brave new world of late 19th Century river valley life while weaving away at various projects. Maybe the previous generations trend was an ironic foreshadowing to the more current use of the building as Salon St. John.

Whatever the purpose this architectural gem has been used for over the last 120 years, its has held its beauty, its prominence, and certainly its ability to find relevance is an adaptive reuse. With the renovations and updates done in recent years, the current owner has insured the next hundred years will include 705 1st Ave E. in scenic Shakopee, Minnesota and all the hairstyles that go with it.

Find out more, click on the link on the right. Please be patient, its a larger file.

posted by adam commercial @ 12:57 PM