Mesker Brothers facts for kids

A photograph of Frank Mesker, one of the brothers behind the famous ironworks.

Have you ever walked down an old main street and noticed a building with a fancy, decorative metal front? There's a good chance it was made by the Mesker family! The Mesker Brothers Iron Works and George L. Mesker & Co. were two competing companies that built these amazing storefronts from the 1880s until the middle of the 20th century.

Interestingly, the companies were run by brothers. Bernard and Frank Mesker ran the Mesker Brothers Iron Works in St. Louis, Missouri. Their other brother, George L. Mesker, ran his own business, George L. Mesker & Co., in Evansville, Indiana. The three brothers learned how to work with iron from their father, John Mesker, who had his own stove and iron business.

What Did the Meskers Make?

The Mesker companies were famous for their beautiful and durable building fronts, which are often just called "Meskers." These were made from sheets of metal and cast iron, and they could be ordered right from a catalog. This meant a store owner in a small town could have a building that looked as grand as one in a big city.

Besides the complete storefronts, the companies also made many other metal items for buildings, including:

• Pressed-tin ceilings
• Iron railings and stairs
• Decorative roof cresting
• Ventilation grates
• Iron awnings and skylights
• Freight elevators

Selling Across America

The Meskers sold their products using catalogs that showed off all their different designs. These catalogs were a huge hit! At one point, they increased the number of catalogs they printed from 50,000 to 500,000 in just one year.

Thanks to these catalogs, Mesker storefronts were built all over the country. A 1915 catalog boasted that their products were in every state. This included:

• 4,130 in Indiana
• 2,915 in Illinois
• 2,646 in Kentucky
• Even 17 in the territory of Alaska!

Lasting Legacy

Today, many Mesker buildings are still standing and are considered historic treasures. A number of them are so important that they have been added to the National Register of Historic Places, which is the official list of the United States' historic places worthy of preservation. Their work can be seen in historic towns across America, a testament to the brothers' skill and business smarts.

Famous Mesker Buildings

Here are just a few of the many historic buildings that feature work by the Mesker companies. Many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

• Buster Meat Market in Challis, Idaho (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed
• J. T. Ferguson Store in Wilkesboro, North Carolina (Mesker Bros. Front Builders), NRHP-listed
• Goedert Meat Market in McGregor, Iowa (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed
• Gunning–Purves Building in Friendship, Wisconsin (George L. Mesker & Co.), NRHP-listed
• Hopkinton Supply Co. Building in Hopkinton, Massachusetts (George L. Mesker), NRHP-listed
• Joseph Jackson Hotel in Vallonia, Indiana (George L. Mesker and Co.), NRHP-listed
• Morris Roberts Store in Hagerman, Idaho (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed
• Vollmer Building in Genesee, Idaho (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed
• Josephine White Block in Providence, Rhode Island (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed
• Grainfield Opera House in Grainfield, Kansas, NRHP-listed

Gallery

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  A George L. Mesker & Co. catalog from 1904. Customers used these to order their storefronts.

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  The Grainfield Opera House in Grainfield, Kansas, is a beautiful example of a Mesker building.

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  The Josephine White Block in Providence, Rhode Island, features a storefront made by the Mesker Brothers.