Home inspection in Marine on St. Croix.

What we see in Marine on St. Croix homes.

Marine on St. Croix was founded in 1839 as Marine Mills, the site of the first commercial sawmill on the St. Croix River. That mill ran from August 1839 to 1895 and cut more than 197 million board feet of lumber. The village incorporated as a city in 1950 and had 664 residents in 2020 across 4.20 square miles. A 450-acre historic district, listed on the National Register in 1974, takes in the old business district, the Yankee owners' residential area on the bluffs and the Swedish working-class neighborhoods. Highway 95 is the main route.

An 1800s house presents specific questions: stone or timber foundations, framing that has moved over generations, older wiring, including knob-and-tube in houses of that era, mixed plumbing and lead paint. On the bluffs, slope, drainage and retaining walls matter, and in the older parts of the village, basements deserve a look for moisture. Later custom homes on wooded lots get the standard look at grading, flashing and ventilation. Washington County is EPA Radon Zone 1, and MDH recommends every Minnesota home be tested.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.