In 1966, Robert Pirsig moved to this address in St. Paul with this wife, Nancy, and son, Ted. A year later, Pirsig began a series of lighthearted essays that would transform into his best-selling book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Pirsig lived at this home as he wrote the book at his office during the early hours of the morning.
In a 1974 interview, Nancy Pirsig talked of how the entire family was practicing Zen Buddhism. Every morning, rising early, they would start the day together in their dining room, moving the furniture and meditating on cushions in silence. Afterward, they would have tea, talk, and go for a long walk along the river near their home.
