602 Francis (SE Crnr 6th & Francis) - The Leader, Townsend and Wall

Photograph

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

Entry/Object ID

2020.25.767

Description

602 Francis (SE Crnr 6th & Francis) - The Leader, Townsend and Wall John Townsend was born in Illinois and moved his family to St Joseph He started his career as a clerk in the store of John and Isaac Curd on Main street In November 1866, John Townsend formed a partnership with Preston Lowell and opened his first store Mr Townsend's first store was at 403 Felix street under the firm name of Townsend & Lowell After Lowell left the company in 1868 and the store went under a new name of Townsend & Wood The store was then moved to 319 Felix street Mr. Townsend has ever since been continuously and successfully engaged in the same line of business, but under different firm names The first change he made placed him at the head of the firm of Townsend & Wood The name was later changed to the Bailey-Townsend Dry Goods Company In 1879 it became Townsend, Wyatt & Co. after he took on new partners J. Cavan Wyatt and John D. Richardson, Jr In 1890 it joined with Emery Dry Goods Co. under the name of Townsend, Wyatt & Emery Dry Goods Co Wyatt died in 1911. In 1914, the name was again changed to Townsend, Wyatt and Wall to accommodate the addition of Thomas R. Wall The Townsend, Wyatt and Wall building was located at Sixth and Edmond and was destroyed by fire in September, 1893 The building was rebuilt as Townsend & Wall Department Store at 602 Francis Street and it was the principal department store in downtown St. Joseph until 1983 It is listed as a contributing building to the St. Joseph Commerce and Banking Historic District which is on the National Register of Historic Places It is also a prominent building in the Historic Retail District Felix Street Corridor in the master plan for St. Joseph In 1963, it was owned & operated by Thomas Wall, Jr T& W had five floors and a bargain basement where the more "affordable" clothes were sold The store was filled with top quality merchandise. Custom drapes, carpet, furniture, clothing, jewelry, kitchen items, everything imaginable for the home It had a great snack bar of which was always very busy Very large "T&W" were painted on the elevator doors using real gold paint. After closing in 1983, the store sat empty for many years until Walter Boschen redesigned the building and it is currently an apartment building Circa 1866 TOWNSEND & LOWELL Number 97 Felix Street Circa 1867 TOWNSEND & LOWELL 403 Felix Street Circa 1868 TOWNSEND & WOOD 319 Felix Street BAILEY-TOWNSEND DRY GOODS COMPANY 319 Felix Street Circa 1879 TOWNSEND, WYATT & COMPANY 319 Felix Street Circa 1890 TOWNSEND, WYATT & EMERY DRY GOODS CO. 6th & Edmond Street Circa 1914 TOWNSEND, WYATT & WALL COMPANY 602 Francis Circa 1942 TOWNSEND & WALL DRY GOODS 602 Francis Circa 1942 TOWNSEND & WALL BEAUTY SALON 602 Francis https://www.stjosephmemorylane.com/6thstreet/north6th.html

Photograph Details

Subject

Photograph

Subject Person or Organization

Townsend & Lowell, Townsend & Wood, Bailey-Townsend Dry Goods Company, Townsend, Wyatt & Company, Townsend, Wyatt & Emery Dry Goods Co., Townsend, Wyatt & Wall, Townsend & Wall Beauty Salon

Context

Circa 1866 TOWNSEND & LOWELL Number 97 Felix Street Circa 1867 TOWNSEND & LOWELL 403 Felix Street Circa 1868 TOWNSEND & WOOD 319 Felix Street BAILEY-TOWNSEND DRY GOODS COMPANY 319 Felix Street Circa 1879 TOWNSEND, WYATT & COMPANY 319 Felix Street Circa 1890 TOWNSEND, WYATT & EMERY DRY GOODS CO. 6th & Edmond Street Circa 1914 TOWNSEND, WYATT & WALL COMPANY 602 Francis Circa 1942 TOWNSEND & WALL DRY GOODS 602 Francis Circa 1942 TOWNSEND & WALL BEAUTY SALON 602 Francis John Townsend was born in Illinois and moved his family to St Joseph He started his career as a clerk in the store of John and Isaac Curd on Main street In November 1866, John Townsend formed a partnership with Preston Lowell and opened his first store Mr Townsend's first store was at 403 Felix street under the firm name of Townsend & Lowell After Lowell left the company in 1868 and the store went under a new name of Townsend & Wood The store was then moved to 319 Felix street Mr. Townsend has ever since been continuously and successfully engaged in the same line of business, but under different firm names The first change he made placed him at the head of the firm of Townsend & Wood The name was later changed to the Bailey-Townsend Dry Goods Company In 1879 it became Townsend, Wyatt & Co. after he took on new partners J. Cavan Wyatt and John D. Richardson, Jr In 1890 it joined with Emery Dry Goods Co. under the name of Townsend, Wyatt & Emery Dry Goods Co Wyatt died in 1911. In 1914, the name was again changed to Townsend, Wyatt and Wall to accommodate the addition of Thomas R. Wall The Townsend, Wyatt and Wall building was located at Sixth and Edmond and was destroyed by fire in September, 1893 The building was rebuilt as Townsend & Wall Department Store at 602 Francis Street and it was the principal department store in downtown St. Joseph until 1983 It is listed as a contributing building to the St. Joseph Commerce and Banking Historic District which is on the National Register of Historic Places It is also a prominent building in the Historic Retail District Felix Street Corridor in the master plan for St. Joseph In 1963, it was owned & operated by Thomas Wall, Jr T& W had five floors and a bargain basement where the more "affordable" clothes were sold The store was filled with top quality merchandise. Custom drapes, carpet, furniture, clothing, jewelry, kitchen items, everything imaginable for the home It had a great snack bar of which was always very busy Very large "T&W" were painted on the elevator doors using real gold paint. After closing in 1983, the store sat empty for many years until Walter Boschen redesigned the building and it is currently an apartment building Photo #1 - Townsend & Wall Photo #2 - Bus picking up passengers at 6th Street door Photo #3 - Townsend & Wall Photo #4 - Old advertisement Photo #5 - The elevators Photo #6 - The Basement Store advertisement Photo #7 - T,W & WALL Company bronze plaque on the building Photo #8 - Looking east down Francis Street from 6th St Photo #9 - 1930 City Directory advertisement Photo #10 - 1867 City Directory advertisement