Plummer Building | Rochester MN

Plummer Building – In Detail
Location: Mayo Clinic Campus, Rochester, Minnesota

1. Overview and Purpose

The Plummer Building is one of the most iconic and historically significant buildings on the Mayo Clinic campus. It’s named after Dr. Henry Stanley Plummer, a physician and mechanical genius whose contributions to healthcare systems and facility design played a foundational role in shaping the Mayo Clinic as a world-leading medical institution. Built to house an integrated group practice, it helped usher in a new model for how medicine was practiced and how hospitals were constructed and managed.

2. Historical Significance

Completed in 1928, the Plummer Building was designed during a time of rapid expansion at Mayo Clinic, as the institution was evolving into a major center for clinical care and medical research. Dr. Plummer believed that the physical environment was integral to effective patient care and team-based collaboration, which is why he worked closely with the architecture firm Ellerbe & Associates to design the building. It became a model for medical facilities worldwide.

The building's innovations included:

A centralized patient record system (the forerunner of modern electronic medical records).

Pneumatic tubes to send messages and specimens between floors.

Color-coded light signals to manage patient flow in exam rooms.

A telephone switchboard system capable of handling thousands of internal calls.

These might seem routine today, but they were revolutionary in the 1920s.

3. Architectural Design

The Plummer Building’s design is a blend of Romanesque Revival and Art Deco styles. It is constructed primarily of Bedford limestone and buff-colored brick, with a soaring central tower capped in decorative terra-cotta that draws the eye skyward.

Height: 15 stories (approximately 292 feet).

Exterior Details: Includes intricate carvings, symbolic imagery, and gargoyle-like sculptures.

Tower: Features a 56-bell carillon that plays musical chimes regularly, contributing a melodic atmosphere to downtown Rochester.

4. Interior Features

The building's interior reflects a mix of practicality and elegance:

Lobby: Grand and richly decorated, with marble floors, hand-carved wooden beams, and plaster ceiling ornamentation.

Bronze Doors: One of the most symbolic features-16 feet high and weighing 4,000 pounds each. Each of the 42 panels is intricately embossed with depictions of human knowledge, service, and achievement. The doors are only closed for solemn occasions (e.g., the death of a Mayo Clinic founder or major national tragedies), symbolizing the building’s heartbeat within the medical community.

Elevators: Original elevator cabs with wood-paneled interiors and ornate metalwork still function today, preserving the building’s 1920s charm.

Third Floor Historical Rooms: Contains the original offices of the Mayo brothers and the early Board of Governors meeting room. These areas have been preserved and are now part of the W. Bruce Fye Center for the History of Medicine, which offers insights into Mayo’s institutional history.

5. Cultural and Civic Importance

Over the decades, the Plummer Building has become more than a clinical or administrative space. It’s a civic symbol of Rochester and a representation of Mayo Clinic’s roots in innovation and ethical service. The carillon chimes still play regularly, and during the winter holidays, the building is beautifully illuminated in festive lights-a tradition dating back to the 1950s.

It’s also a place where history and architecture lovers can appreciate details such as:

Stained glass windows.

Art carved into stone facades.

Walls engraved with the names of medical pioneers.

6. Current Use

While the Plummer Building once served as the main clinical site, most patient care now takes place in the newer Mayo and Gonda Buildings nearby. However, the Plummer Building still houses many administrative and support functions, as well as historical exhibits. It remains an active and meaningful part of the Mayo campus.

In 2018, a significant restoration project was undertaken to preserve the building’s terra cotta and limestone features, ensuring its longevity and safety without compromising architectural integrity.

7. Recognition

National Register of Historic Places: Listed in 1969.

National Historic Landmark: Designated the same year due to its architectural and medical significance.

These honors reflect its status not just in Minnesota but nationally, as a building that helped revolutionize healthcare facility design and systems.

8. Visitor Tips

Public Tours: While the building is not fully open for unrestricted public tours, visitors can enter the lobby and see parts of the historic third floor during weekday hours.

Best Time to Visit: Around the holiday season for the exterior lighting, or during a weekday afternoon to hear the carillon chimes and view the open public spaces.

Photography: Allowed in public areas-architecture and detail shots are especially recommended for those interested in design and history.

Summary

The Plummer Building is not only an architectural masterpiece, but a symbol of Mayo Clinic's century-long dedication to innovation, patient-centered care, and operational excellence. From its towering carillon and symbolic bronze doors to its lasting influence on hospital design, the building stands as a proud monument to the past and a steady presence in Mayo’s evolving future.