mainstreet
MAIN STREET & Connecting Streets



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The circa may not be accurate, they are the earliest I was able to locate


Circa 1845 - BUSINESSES LOCATED ON
MAIN STREET BETWEEN BETWEEN JULE AND FARAON
St Joseph's official history began on July 26, 1843 when it was incorporated by it's founder, Joseph Robidoux. There was a population of 200 which would grow to 500 by the end of the year
Most businesses were located on Main Street between Jule and Faraon Streets
In the first 50 years, this area of St Joseph would encounter many changes
BUSINESSES ON EAST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
Wiley English Saddlemaker
Hull & Carter Drugs & Sundries
P.T. Moss General Store
W. Ray & Brother Dry Goods
S. Knudson Clock & Watchmaker
Edgar House (1st 3 story house in St. Joseph)
Holladay & Somerville Drugs, Paints, Glass, Dishes, Surgical & Obstetrical Instruments
BUSINESSES ON WEST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
James Reilly General Merchandise
E. Livermore General Merchandise
E. H. Haycraft & Dr. J. B. Howard - Wholesale & Retail Drugs, Paints, Oils & Dye Stuffs
(located in Dr. McDonald's new building)
Joseph Venable Staple & Fancy Goods
Charles & Elias Perry General Merchandise



Circa 1860 - BUSINESSES LOCATED ON MAIN
BETWEEN BETWEEN JULE AND FARAON STREETS
By 1860, the population had grown to 8,932
Previous businesses on Main Street had moved to another location or had gone out of business
Below are the businesses located on Main Street in 1860
BUSINESSES ON EAST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
R. H. Cliff Billiards & Pistol Gallery
Volksblatt German Newspaper
Kansas Hall
Charles Beno - Billiards, Bowling, Confectioners & Restaurant
Charles Hansding Saloon
Henry Gronewag Cigars, Tobacco & Snuff
Day Brothers Stoves & Tinware
Planter's House
Bowers & Shepard Grocery
BUSINESSES ON WEST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
Marcellus Hall
Cunningham & Company Dry Goods
H. D. Haft Desks & Furniture
A. Schmidt Clothing
Western Hide & Leather Company
Michael Murphy Dry Goods
William Ray Dry Goods
Riddle & Company Grocers
E. Croft Wines
S



Circa 1896 - BUSINESSES LOCATED ON MAIN STREET
BETWEEN BETWEEN FRANCIS AND FARAON
By 1896, the population had grown to 52,324
In the years following the Civil War prosperity returned to St Joseph
A number of companies were located north of Francis Street
The city served as a major wholesale center reaching it's zenith in the 1880's and 1890's
St Joseph Missouri was now known the world over for it's number of millionaires and the character of it's wholesale houses
Below are some of the houses and businesses located on Main Street in 1896
EAST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
Female Boarding House
St Joseph Artesian Ice & Cold Storage (Huston Wyeth President)
Lizzie Walters Residence
Jacob Eberhardt Residence
Charles Ebersold Boarding House
Female Boarding House
R. K. Allen's Lumber
Robert Huersch Barber
WEST SIDE OF MAIN STREET
Western Fuel Co. Coal & Wood (C. T. Donovan President, J. S. Patee Manager)
Sommer-Richardson Factory of the American Biscuit & Mfg Company


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MAIN STREET BEGINS AT FELIX STREET and GOES NORTH





Circa: 1888
SANBORN MAP OF MAIN STREET
From Felix to Faraon







CROSSING AT ST JOSEPH
Circa: 1859
Main & Felix Streets

In 1859, the only way to cross the Missouri river was by ferry




1 2 3 4 5 6

Circa 1881
FREDERICK WENZ SHOE FACTORY
49-51 Edmond

Fredrick J. Wenz was born Jul. 6, 1845 in Stuttgart, Germany

He died in St Joseph Missouri on Nov. 14, 1925

Mr Wenz came to America at age 14, taking residence in St. Joseph, Missouri

Here he was educated and learned the trade of boot and shoe making

In 1866, he worked in Savannah until 1869 when he returned to St Joseph

In the spring of 1881, in company with Mr. Christian Frenger and J. H. Igler, he opened a wholesale house and footwear factory in downtown St Joseph

The factory was located on Edmond Street, between Main Street and 1st Street

Mr Wenz built a retail shoe store at 1421 & Penn Street

Besides selling the shoes & boots his factory made in this store, he also sold Buster Brown shoes

In photo #3, the name WENZ is clearly visible in the ornate stonework near the roof

Photo #1 - Advertisement showing the WENZ shoe factory listing
Photo #2 - Buster Brown shoe advertisement
Photo #3 - Wenz's retail store located at 1421 Penn Street
Photo #4 - Advertisement
Photo #5 - Buster Brown shoe advertisement
Photo #6 - Fredrick J. Wenz grave site in St Joseph




CHARLESTON
101 Main Street




MIDWEST SIGN COMPANY
111 North Main



FRANCIS STREET INTERSECTS



Downtown

Circa 1890's
FRANCIS STREET PASSENGER STATION
Main & Francis Street

Interior photo of the paasenger station




1 Nabisco2 Nabisco3 Nabisco4 Nabisco5 Nabisco6 Nabisco7 Nabisco8 Nabisco9 Nabisco10 Nabisco11 12 13

Circa 1873
SOMMER-RICHARDSON CANDY
FRANK L SOMMER BAKERY
AMERICAN BISCUIT
NABISCO CRACKERS
UNEEDA BISCUIT
CELEX PRODUCTS
202-224 Main
112 South 3rd

Frank L. Sommer owned a candy factory and a wholesale bakery

In 1873, the Sommer-Richardson Candy Factory was established at 202-224 Main

In 1876 the F.L. Sommer & Company bakery was located at 112 South 3rd

Sommer began using baking soda to leaven its wafer thin cracker

His cracker was initially was called the Premium Soda Cracker

His cracker would later be called "Saltines" because of the salt component

His invention quickly became popular and Sommer's business quadrupled within four years

In 1890, F.L. Sommer merged with other companies & formed American Biscuit Company

After further mergers, in 1898, it became part of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco)

The Holiday Inn Hotel currently occupies the 112 South 3rd address

Celex Products currently occupies the original building at 202-224 Main

Photo #1 - 1880's - original factory at 112 South 3rd.
Photo #2 - His 2nd factory located at 202-224 Main
Photo #3 - Nabisco factory at 202-224 Main as it looks in 2012
Photo #4 - Nabisco factory at 202-224 Main as it looks in 2012
Photo #5 - 1910 Photo of Nabisco factory, horse drawn wagon at dock
Photo #6 - Nabisco building is currently occupied by Celex Products
Photo #7 - Nabisco factory at 202-224 Main as it looks in 2013
Photo #8 - Frank Sommer Home, 914 Main, also known as the Cracker House
Photo #9 - 1985 photo of the Frank Sommer home at 914 Main
Photo #10 - Sommer-Richardson Candy Factory at 202-224 Main
Photo #11 - Advertisement
Photo #12 - Sommer-Richardson Candy Factory at 202-224 Main
Photo #13 - Sommer Cracker advertisement






Circa 1892
ARTESIAN ICE & COLD STORAGE
215 North Main
202 North Main

In 1892, Huston Wyeth organized the Artesian Ice & Cold Storage Company
It was later moved to 202 North Main
Huston Wyeth (1863-1925), President
L.C. Hamilton, Vice President & Manager
William Maxwell Wyeth (1832-1901), Treasurer
Photo - 1894 Stock Certificate



JULES STREET INTERSECTS



1 2

Circa 1953
GERBER WAREHOUSE
Main & Jules Streets

July 1953 St Joseph Newspaper photo and article about Gerber's new distribution center warehouse




1 2

Circa 1849
OCCIDENTAL HOTEL
Main & Jules Streets

The Occidental Hotel was built in 1849 and was located at Main & Jules Streets
This hotel was torn down to make room for the Meadow Gold Dairy
Photo #1 - 1954 St Joseph News-Press article, destruction of the 100 yr old Hotel
Photo #2 - Circa 1875 advertising remodeling of the hotel




1 2

CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN
FREIGHT HOUSE
401 South 3rd Street




BEATRICE FOODS GARAGE
303 North Main




1 2 3 4 5 6

Circa 1900
BLUE VALLEY CREAMERY
MEADOW GOLD DAIRY
323 North Main

Blue Valley Creamery Company was founded by Huston Wyeth and James A. Walker in Chicago around 1900

The Blue Valley Creamery Company was incorporated in Missouri on May 1, 1900

The Missouri business was to be conducted in St. Joseph

Huston Wyeth's father, William Maxwell Wyeth, who had built a hardware, saddlery and real estate empire in St. Joseph, took over the Blue Valley Creamery business in St Joseph

William Maxwell Wyeth formed the Artesian Ice & Cold Storage Company in 1892

In 1918, Blue Valley Creamery Company was the 4th largest U.S. butter company

Blue Valley Creamery was acquired by Beatrice Creamery Company in 1939

Meadow Gold was a brand of Beatrice Creamery

Photo #1 - 1930'S photo of the Blue Valley fleet & employees
Photo #2 - Meadow Gold milk cartons
Photo #3 - Meadow Gold logo
Photo #4 - Horse drawn delivery wagon
Photo #5 - Home delivery of dairy products
Photo #6 - Meadow Gold dairy




VACANT IN 1953
401-419 North Main






Circa 1890's
W. J. LEMP LAGER BEER DEPOT
419 North Main
Circa 1903
505 North Main

This was a depot for the St Louis Lemp brewery
By the middle 1890's, the Lemp brewery was becoming known all over America
They had already introduced the popular "Falstaff" beer, which is still brewed by another company today
The familiar logo once had the name "Lemp" emblazoned across it
This beer became a favorite across the country
This was something that had never really been done by a regional brewer before
Lemp was also the first brewery to establish coast-to-coast distribution of its beer
Lemp Lager Beer Depot, prior to 1903, was located at 419 Main
The structure no longer exists at 419 Main Street, a vacant lot exists at this location
After 1903, Lemp Lager Beer was located at 505 Main Street
The building at 505 Main is still standing
It was at one time the office for Lawhon Construction
It has been refaced with brick and currently being used for storage




MILTON RIEMER PHYSICIAN
423 North Main



ROBIDOUX STREET INTERSECTS



Hund & Eger

SCHLITZ BEER BOTTLING COMPANY
HUND & EGER BEER BOTTLING COMPANY
501 North Main





LAWHON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
GEORGE LAWHON GARAGE
505 North Main



CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN RR CROSSES
ISADORE STREET INTERSECTS



ST JOSEPH WATER COMPANY
PIPE YARD & METER DEPT
602 North Main



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Feel free to email me with any photo donations, comments or questions
Rick Drozd - rickdrozd@gmail.com


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