Mesker Brothers facts for kids
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The Mesker Brothers Iron Works and George L. Mesker & Co. were two companies that made special metal fronts for buildings. They also made other cool metal parts. These companies were active from the 1880s until the middle of the 1900s.
The Mesker Brothers Iron Works was in St. Louis, Missouri. It was run by two brothers, Bernard and Frank Mesker. Their third brother, George L. Mesker, ran his own company, George L. Mesker & Co., in Evansville, Indiana. All three brothers learned how to work with iron from their father, John Mesker. He had a stove business and later worked with iron for buildings.
What They Made
The products from these companies are often called "Meskers." They were famous for making fancy metal fronts for stores. These fronts were made from sheet metal and cast iron.
Besides building fronts, they also made many other metal items. These included:
- Metal ceilings
- Iron railings for stairs
- Stairs themselves
- Decorations for roofs
- Ventilation grates
- Iron awnings
- Skylights
- Freight elevators
How They Sold Their Products
The Mesker companies sold their products using special catalogs. These catalogs showed off all their designs. They were very popular! At one point, they printed 50,000 catalogs. Just one year later, they printed 500,000 because so many people wanted them.
A catalog from 1915 said that Mesker storefronts were in every state in the USA. For example, there were 4,130 in Indiana and 2,915 in Illinois. Even the territory of Alaska had 17 Mesker storefronts!
Famous Mesker Buildings
Many buildings with Mesker designs are important historical places. Some of them are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are protected because of their history and design.
Here are a few examples of buildings that feature Mesker work:
- The Buster Meat Market in Challis, Idaho.
- The J. T. Ferguson Store in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
- The Goedert Meat Market in McGregor, Iowa.
- The Joseph Jackson Hotel in Vallonia, Indiana.
- The Josephine White Block in Providence, Rhode Island.
- The Grainfield Opera House in Grainfield, Kansas.
Mesker buildings can be found all over the country. Their work is an important part of the history of states like South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska.
