This Colonial Revival at 724 2nd Street SE, Little Falls, was built in 1937 by Dr. Roman Fait who moved to Little Falls with his family from Wisconsin to open a medical practice. The 1940 census lists the six people living here then: 32 year old Dr. Fait, his wife Helen, a daughter Tersyl, a son John, Helen's mother Gertrude Willford, and their maid Evelyn Wielinski of St. In 1950, Dr. Fait sold t
he home and property to Dr. Alfred H. They raise four children, two girls and two boys, in the house now known around town as the Benson House. Dr. Benson died in 1967 and his wife Audrey in 2004. The family sold the home to Jerome Clark of Minneapolis in 2005. Clark did extensive rehabilitation work on the home including tuck pointing the chimney, exposing and refinishing the pine floors, replacing the roof, insulating, and adding a new central air conditioner and furnace. We bought the property in 2014 with the specific purpose of using the home for a bed and breakfast inn. In addition to some paint and decorating, three small projects were completed in the guest rooms to add comfort: the passage way from the Pike room to the the main bath, the doorway connecting the two rooms of the Little Elk, and a shower and tiling in the Little Elk bath. Great River Inn is named for the Great River, the Mississippi, which has its origins in the lake-lands of north central Minnesota and empties into the Gulf of Mexico south of New Orleans. It is said that Little Falls is the Minnesota city where the Mississippi pauses. The Great River Road is the highways and byways that can be driven from the river's inception to its terminus. Each of the inn's rooms are named for tributaries in the Little Falls area. Twenty-five miles to the north, the Nokasippi River passes beneath Highway 371 before it joins the Great River. Our Nokasippi Room featuring a queen bed is available only as an add on to the Swan Room for larger groups willing to share a bath. The blocks on the bed quilt were hand sewn by Christian's grandmother Olinda Gohl when she was about 12 years old circa 1910. The Swan River is the farthest south of our four tributaries. Our Swan Room, the home's original master bedroom, has a king bed. After meandering through the main part of Charles Lindbergh State Park, Pike Creek contributes its waters to the great journey south at a popular fishing spot knows as Smode's just south of town on the west banks of the Great River. The Pike Room may be our room with the most old house character. We think it is quite reasonable to think this room was originally occupied by the Mrs. The Pike Room has a queen bed. The Little Elk River meets the Mississippi in the northern and less well known section of Lindbergh State Park on the north west side of Little Falls. The Little Elk Room is really a two room suite occupying the north west corner of the inn. Because the maid's room, the part of the suite with the bath, was too small for a room by itself, we merged it with one of the rooms that did not have its own bath to create this suite with a queen bed bedroom and sitting room. The chestnut paneled library, living room with a baby grand piano, and three season sun room are available to you at your leisure. If you play, please feel free to tickle the ivories. Great River Inn is a NO SMOKING facility. You are welcome to light up on the back patio which you might share with one or both of our pups, Clive Staples our miniature schnauzer and Mia our our mixed terrier. If you exit by the back gate, please be sure to leave it latched as we prefer not to chase our little escape artists all over town.
