Northern half of Wholesale Row in St Joseph, Missouri.Photo by25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Wholesale Row is also known as the Wholesale Row Historic District. Wholesale Row was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 9, 1977. It's also a U.S. Historic District.

Jules, Third, Fourth, and Francis Streets bound Wholesale Row. This historic district originally included five buildings located on the western edge of the Central Business District of St. Joseph, Missouri.

The Noyes-Norman Building built on Third Street in 1872 was demolished. The remaining buildings include the following:

• Built 1880: R.L. McDonald and Co. Building
• Built 1880: Englehart-Winning Co. South Building
• Built 1884: Englehart-Winning Co. North Building
• Built 1882: Brittain-Richardson and Co. Building

The above buildings that remain were designed by Edmond Jacques Eckel (1845-1934). The buildings were originally used for wholesale purposes and later partly used for manufacturing.

The southern half of Wholesale Row.Photo by25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

These warehouse buildings are believed to be the best-surviving group of buildings from the late 1800s. The architectural style is High Victorian Italianate. The buildings were later converted from being used for outfitters to a wholesale center. Materials used to build these buildings included brick, stone, and cast iron.

When these buildings were constructed, St. Joseph was growing fast. St. Joseph played a role in outfitting settlers who were heading west. In 1890, St. Joseph was referred to as the wealthiest city with seven railroads going in and out of the town.

The R.L. McDonald and Co. Building

In the summer of 1851, Rufus Lee McDonald Sr. (1832-1923) came to St. Joseph at age 19. He joined the company of R.L. Donnell and A.M. Saxton. A few years later, he founded R.L. McDonald and Company. In 1858, he absorbed all the mercantile interests of Donald and Saxton.

R. L. McDonald & Company Building, St. Joseph, Missouri.Photo byHistoric American Buildings Survey, creator, via Library of Congress.

This building is at 202 North 4th Street. The company had dry goods, men's furnishings, and a manufacturing plant that made overalls and jeans. McDonald was with the McDonald Manufacturing Company for 67 years and he was well-known in the community. He died at age 90. McDonald and his wife, Mary Ann Wilson McDonald, had two sons and four daughters.

Englehart-Winning & Co.

George Englehart came to St. Joseph in 1864 and was from Germany. He was already successful when he reached St. Joseph. In 1866, he founded the Englehart-Smith firm. Two years later, Englehart bought out a partner and consolidated with Samuel Lockwood. Lockwood opened the first hat store in St. Joseph.

Englehart-Winning & Company Building, St. Joseph, Missouri.Photo byHistoric American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

Lockwood, Englehart & Co. was established in 1850. In 1880, the new building was built at 216-218 N. 4th Street. The building was later leased and in 1888, the same year Englehart was elected mayor of St. Joseph.

Brittain-Richardson & Co.

John S. Brittain Sr.'s family were originally from England and Scotland, and settled in New Jersey. Brittain arrived in St. Joseph in 1858. He founded Brittain-Ovelman & Co. in 1874. John D. Richardson joined the company and their new building was at 224 N. 4th Street.

Brittain was the president of the John S Brittain Dry Goods Company. Brittain died on December 11, 1917, at age 76. He was married to Susan Mary Turner Brittain and four children are listed in the Find-a-Grave record.

These remaining buildings are a part of the heritage of St. Joseph and depict the success and determination of the original owners.

Today, the buildings include the Lofts at Landmark, Fourth Street Lofts, and more apartments at 224 N. 4th Street.

Thanks for reading!