Name/Title
PhotographEntry/Object ID
2020.25.359Description
Advertisement for RICHARDSON, ROBERTS, BYRNE DRY GOODS MANUFACTURING located at 300-308 North 3rd Street.
https://www.stjosephmemorylane.com/3rdstreet/3rdstreet.htmlPhotograph Details
Subject
PhotoSubject Place
Location
3rd StreetCity
St. JosephState/Province
MissouriContext
Circa 1892
RICHARDSON, ROBERTS, BYRNE
DRY GOODS MANUFACTURING
300-308 North 3rd Street
Circa 1898
RICHARDSON, ROBERTS, BYRNE
DRY GOODS MANUFACTURING
300-308 North 3rd Street
Circa 1900
RICHARDSON, ROBERTS, BYRNE
DRY GOODS MANUFACTURING
300-308 North 3rd Street
Circa 1940
WYETH HARDWARE & MANUFACTURING
Warehouse
300 North 3rd Street
Circa 1953
WYETH HARDWARE & MANUFACTURING
Warehouse
300 North 3rd Street
Circa 1953
NATIONAL BELLA HESS
300 North 3rd Street
Circa 1958
WYETH HARDWARE DISPLAY ROOM
300 North 3rd Street
AMERICAN ELECTRIC
300 North 3rd Street
This building was constructed in 1892 for the Richardson, Roberts, Byrne Dry Goods Co. It is adjacent to the Wholesale Row Historic District; is one block west of the Buchanan County Courthouse and two blocks north of the Missouri Valley Trust Company Historic District.
John D. Richardson, the majority stockholder of the dry goods firm, was born in 1847 in Dorchester County, Maryland and emigrated to St. Joseph in 1870. When Richardson arrived in St. Joseph, he was employed by the firm of Donnell and Saxton, one of the earliest business partnerships of the city. Donnell and Saxton were involved in the construction of the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad west of St. Joseph.
By 1882, Richardson had become a partner of John S. Brittain in the Brittain, Richardson & Co. wholesale dry goods firm. The building constructed by this company is a part of Wholesale Row Historic District.
In 1890 Richardson withdrew from the partnership with Brittain and formed his own firm
His partners were Joseph F. Roberts and T.B. Byrne.
In 1892 the firm erected this magnificent seven story building at a cost of $60,000. By 1900 the firm had become known as John D. Richardson Dry Goods.
In 1901 $20,000 was spent on remodeling the building.
In 1917 another $40,000.00. By this time it was the largest wholesale dry goods plant in the city
Following the death of Richardson in 1924, the firm remained in business for some years but had disappeared from the St. Joseph scene by 1930.
American Electric remained in this building until the 1970's Urban Renewal Program.
Photo - 1899 AdvertisementCollection
PHOTOGRAPH