Photograph

Photograph

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St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

Photograph

Entry/Object ID

2020.25.1916

Description

Circa 1864 TURNER-FRAZER GROCERY COMPANY 302-308 South 3rd Street Circa 1898 LETTS-SPENCER GROCERY COMPANY 302-308 South 3rd Street Circa 1901 LETTS-SPENCER GROCERY COMPANY 402-408 South 3rd Street Circa 1918 LETTS-PARKER GROCERY COMPANY 402-408 South 3rd Street https://www.stjosephmemorylane.com/history/history.html

Photograph Details

Subject

Photograph

Subject Person or Organization

Turner-Frazer Grocery Company, Letts-Spencer Grocery Company, Letts-Parker Grocery Company

Context

Circa 1864 TURNER-FRAZER GROCERY COMPANY 302-308 South 3rd Street Circa 1898 LETTS-SPENCER GROCERY COMPANY 302-308 South 3rd Street Circa 1901 LETTS-SPENCER GROCERY COMPANY 402-408 South 3rd Street Circa 1918 LETTS-PARKER GROCERY COMPANY 402-408 South 3rd Street Letts-Spencer & Company bought out Turner, Frazer & Company in 1898; Turner, Frazer & Company, a wholesale grocery business, had been established in 1864 in St. Joseph. Letts, Spencer & Co. was originally located in a large building on South Third Street (302-308 S. Third). In 1901 the company constructed a new building at 402-408 N. Third Street. By 1918 the company had merged with another wholesale grocery concern and was known as Letts Parker Grocery Company. (1882, Eckel and Mann) Warehouse/Light Manufacturing Facility. Late Nineteenth Century/Eclectic. Four story brick building. Front facade and lateral corner bays richly textured with elaborate terra cotta cornices and spandrels between the second and fourth stories with vegetation, and animal and human face details; denticulated, corbeled, and sawtooth molded stringcourses; varied fenestration with 2- light lower sash and ornately mullioned upper sash; raised brick label molds above radiating brick arches; and raised brick pilasters with capitals. Original storefront of cast metal intact with fluted engaged columns capped by composite capitals and large plate glass sash with transoms; south bay infilled with wood, but opening maintained. Brick penthouse to north. North and west (rear) elevations are intact with 2/2 sash; fullwidth covered concrete load dock spans west elevation. Painted signs "Sheridan Clayton Paper Company" and "Wholesale Stationers & Paper Dealers" on west elevation. Turner-Frazer Grocery and Letts-Spencer was located here before Sheridan-Clayton Paper This landmark calibre structure is an outstanding and well preserved example of Victorian Eclecticism. It was constructed for the Turner, Frazer Company, wholesale grocers, in 1882, the same year as its neighbor to the south, Nave and McCord,also wholesale These two structures as well the C.D. Smith building across the street were all designed by the prominent firm of Eckel and Mann, and create a triumvirate worthy of the National Register of Historic Places. The Sheridan-Clayton Paper Company moved into this building in 1904.