The story behind Anoka's little stone house on the Rum River

Anoka, Minnesota, is known as the Halloween capital, but it's also known for an odd, century-old structure near downtown.

"We are the Halloween Capital of the world for the last 106 years now," said Brandon Altenweg, owner of Amore Antiques.

Halloween may be one night for many of us, but in Anoka, it's a month-long celebration.

"It's kind of a big deal around here," said Altenweg.

His store is evidence of that. Amore Antiques has some of the town's oldest Halloween treasures on display.

"It's just a lot of fun," said Altenweg. "It's very nostalgic to walk through the store."

It's also nostalgic to walk from his antiques to the Rum River nearby, where you'll find a stone house that was built around the same time Anoka became the ghost and goblin capital.

"It's become a rite of passage for people to explore the river and have it in the background of their lives," said Sara Given, with the Anoka County Historical Society.

Given knows all about the man behind the stone: Thaddeus Philander Giddings. The structure was built on Giddings' property near his house. He added a garden and intended it to be a little oasis for family and friends. Simply put, it was a place to party.

"There was a fireplace. There was a little stage. In one of the old photos, you can see a water wheel. They had even a little piano. Thaddeus was very into music," said Given.

Giddings was the music superintendent for Minneapolis schools, so a piano could be heard here, and along other parts of the river.

It's actually the last stone house standing. At one point, Giddings had built three of them in the area. He called them igloos. Others called them castles.

Weather and water took out the other two, but this one remains, even though a river runs through it from time to time.

"He has the ideas but brings them to fruition, and they stick around," said Given.

"When I was a kid and the river was low, you could definitely get out there," said Altenweg.

He remembers jumping on cement blocks across the Rum River to get to the house to play.

"It is kind of a downtown Anoka historical landmark," said Altenweg.

"Very much a way to gather, relax, and have nature be part of your day. Part of your family," said Given. "It's very much part of our history that it's still holding on."

Over the years, the city has made efforts to save and maintain the structure.

Giddings' stone house can be found near Ferry Street in downtown Anoka.