Purchase Price $20,000
3 bed · 1.5 bath · 3,576 sqft
Ready and waiting for restoration. This all- brick charmer in the Museum Hill District has tons of potential! Though significant restoration is needed, the impressive architectural details remain in place throughout the house.
Contact: Lisa Rock at Re/Max
Call: 816-262-8462
House History& Gallery
In the last decades of the 19th century, the area now known as Museum Hill was one of the most vibrant in the City. At its heart sat the majestic Wyeth-Tootle Mansion – St. Joseph’s own castle. Ambitious men who wanted to make their mark gravitated here. John Brown was apparently just such a man. In 1889 he built an impressive brick home within view of the grand mansions further up the Hill. We know very little about Mr. Brown (research into him is complicated by his name – google it and you will see what we mean).
By 1899, liquor wholesaler Solomon “Sol” Ehrman and his wife Sarah moved in to 1402 Charles with their daughters Fannye and Blanche. Sol had come to St. Joseph from his home in Pennsylvania to join the prosperous Jewish community. He soon was one of the most successful of the liquor wholesalers in the city – and as St. Joseph took its drinking seriously, that is saying something! For many years he had a contract to supply the County Work Farm. He was successful enough that he was able to own the substantial brick home mortgage free.
The Ehrmans were active in the congregation at Adath Joseph and within the vibrant Jewish community that played an important role in the growth of St. Joseph during this period. Both Fannye and Blanche were frequent guests at parties and were frequently mentioned in the newspapers.
Sol died here in 1913 of cirrhosis of the liver (an occupational hazard?); Sarah and fellow liquor tycoon Eugene Westheimer were the executors of his estate. Sol was buried at Adath Joseph cemetery. Heartbroken, Sarah moved out of the family home by 1918.
It is a testament to the liveability of a home if someone who could afford to live nearly anywhere decides to live there for an extended period. This is the case for the John Brown Home. In 1918, St. Joseph native Roy H. Brill purchased the home and lived there until his death in 1946. Roy worked in for the railroads and by the time of his death he was superintendant at Union Depot. Following his death, his widow Pauline sold the home and it remained a single family dwelling.
Unfortunately, like other historic properties, 1402 Charles entered into a period of decline. Deferred maintenance and outright neglect took its toll on the lovely house. Today it is in real need of TLC, but with some imagination and dedication it could once again be the welcoming family home that the Ehrmans and Brills loved so much.
Museum Hill is one of the most historic neighborhoods in St. Joseph. It is characterized by a wide variety of architecture from the grand mansions to charming working class houses. It is also home to some of the most striking ecclesiastical architecture in the City. The district grew up in the boom era following the Civil War and the neighborhood experienced consistent growth until the economic stagnation of the Great Depression struck. For many years the neighborhood was one of the “forgotten” areas of the City, kept in the public mind only by the fact that the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion (then the only site of the St. Joseph Museum) stood at its center. In the past few years the district has witnessed a renaissance perhaps best exemplified by the removal of the boards from the windows of the Wyeth-Tootle. Museum Hill Neighborhood Association is one of the most active in the city and is absolutely dedicated to the preservation of this vibrant district. Museum Hill is both a National Register Historic District and a Local Historic District which means that properties in the district are eligible for grants such as the Save Our Heritage grant and that the historic integrity of the neighborhood is protected by the Landmark Commission and the City of St. Joseph’s design guidelines. http://www.museumhillneighborhood.org/home.html
