John Lemon House

517 N. 5th St.

This striking Second Empire house was built in about 1871 by the wealthy banker John S. Lemon and his wife Annie Samuel Lemon. John died in the home in 1905, and his wife Annie remained there for a few years sharing the home with her son Hal Y. Lemon. By 1913, the house was an apartment building known as the Elwyn. It then became the Eagles Lodge and then the Moose Lodge. By the late 1930s it was apartments again, and remained so until the present. Learn more about this stunning historic house on the next page. MLS#2394586

Jonathan Bassett House

503 N. 5th St.

Stunning historic mansion with history and charm to spare! It is said that the oldest part of this house was built by Joe Robidoux himself! The house is one of the few remaining works of noted architect W. Angelo Powell. It is now a wonderfully maintained multi-family residence. Learn more about this historic house and amazing investment opportunity on the next page. MLS#2394586

Newburger Historic Duplex

514-516 N. 6th St.

This lovely Neo-Classical duplex was built around 1906 by the milliner Bernard Newburger who lived next door at 518 as an investment property. At various times in its history, 514 was further subdivided in to two units, but 516 seems to always have been single family. There was relatively frequent turn-over, especially in 514, but the tenants all worked (or had retired from) the various commercial and industrial enterprises that were making St. Joseph prosperous in the first half of the 20th century.

For the first decade or so of its history, both sides of the duplex tended to be rented to members of the vibrant Jewish commercial class, which isn’t surprising as that is the group that Bernard would have spent his time with.  Between 1912 and 1916, the young widow Florence Grinspan and her small daughter live in 514. Her husband Mark, a clothing merchant who had emigrated from Russia to escape the anti-Jewish pogroms, had died suddenly in 1912. Florence worked hard to keep his business going to provide for herself and her daughter. After Florence moved out, Leo N. Lowenberg, the manager of the Paris Hat shop, moved in with his wife Nannette and his daughter Nancy Lee… Learn more about this historic property on the following page. MLS #2156436

Garrod Duplex

1113-115 Corby Street

You just have to look at the front of this duplex to know that it has a grand history. You also can see that it is in real need of some TLC. Built before 1880, this residence has housed a wide variety of folks from many walks of life. A remarkable array of jobs are represented by the tenants of this place that could be wonderful once again. Learn more about this historic house on the next page. MLS#2375596

Askin/Ide Duplex

527-529 N. 8th Street

This lovely brick duplex was built in 1863 by Mr. Askin (about whom we know nothing else) and has had very few external changes, aside from the addition of a small room on the back, since then. This makes this duplex one of the few properties in St. Joseph that date from the period of the Civil War. Restoration on this property has been done in such a way as to retain the appearance of the original features.

This duplex has strong ties to the Wyeth Hardware Co. Its first recorded resident, William W. Bernard (he lived in 529) worked for Wyeth for nearly 50 years as superintendant of the saddlery division. Mr. Bernard and his wife Ella lived in the duplex from about 1877 until her death in 1905. Jacob Newcomer, a buyer for the company, lived  in 527 from 1904 to 1906 when his place was taken by Walter S. Jasper who was a department Secretary for the Wyeth Company.

Learn more about this fascinating historic property on the following page. MLS #2173036

Ray Duplex

717 Mount Mora Road

This historic brick duplex was built as an investment property by the local contractor Richard Ray in 1880. Ray and his large family lived in one side and rented out the other. For its entire history, it has continued with this occupancy pattern. Over the long life of this duplex working people associated with the various industries that were the economic backbone of the city lived here. They were saloon keepers, seamstresses, truck drivers, barbers, packers, teachers, and preachers. Truly the Ray Duplex has seen the whole panorama of St. Joseph history pass through its doors. Learn more about this historic property on the following page. MLS #2207003

William Striblen House

1221/23 Sylvanie Street

Museum Hill Historic District is one of the most eclectic neighborhoods in the city. This charming duplex sits at the heart of the district. Built in the 1880s, it was the home of local druggist William Striblen and his family before the city’s building inspector, Lyman Forgrave, moved his family into the home. Though it has been remodeled, many of the historic features remain.

Learn more about this fascinating historic house on the next page. MLS#2168421

Samuel Lockwood House

508 N. 5th St.

Built in the 1860s for one of the first stunningly successful merchants in the city, this house was later home the “father of the St. Joseph Stockyards”, John Donovan. Learn more about the wonderful opportunity that this historic home presents. MLS#2394586

Ketcham-Wallace House

603-605 N. 8th Street

The Ketcham-WallaceHouse at 603-605 N. 8th St. is one of those rare lucky houses that remained in the same family for generations. Built at the end of the 19th century by the estate of merchant Hilem Ketcham it passed to Hilem’s daughter and granddaughter in turn. Both women raised their families in the home and it was from this address that they played an important role in St. Joseph society over the decades. Originally built as a single-family structure, at some point in the early 20th century it was made in to a duplex to accommodate more than one part of the same family. For several decades two generations of physicians lived and worked from this house. In the late 20th century, the Ketcham-Wallace’s house luck continued as it was purchased by local preservation icon Barbara Ide and wonderfully restored.

 The Ketcham-Wallace house is located in the wonderfully evocative Hall Street Historic District and counts as its neighbor some of the grandest houses in St. Joseph. This lovely house more than holds its own in such company and it is easy to imagine it in its role as a center of social life on North 8th Street where from the 1920s until the 1950s there always seemed to be a party going on. Learn more about this historic property on the following page. MLS #2173057

Railroad Duplex

1602-1604 S. 10th Street

The charming Italianate duplex has been a fixture in its neighborhood for nearly 150 years. It still stands proudly, but is in need of some TLC. For much of its early life many of the people who called it home were associated with the railroads that were making St. Joseph an economic powerhouse. This was the home to the working-class men and women who worked hard and dreamed big. Learn more about this fascinating historic property on the following page.

Hyde Park Duplex

217/219 W. Hyde Park Avenue

South St. Joseph has always been home to hardworking people who were seeking a better life for themselves and their family. This solid duplex (with an additional unit in the garage) has been home to many of those dreamers since the early 1900s. Close to the picturesque Hyde Park and to the great pie at Betty’s Cafe, this duplex has provided a home to many of the workers who have made St. Joseph great. Find out more about this promising property on the next page. MLS #2189643

Peter Swenson Flats

1201 - 1203 Corby Street

Offered by St. Joseph Land Bank

In 1910, stoneware contractor Peter Swenson converted the commercial structure next to his home on the corner of Corby and North 12th Streets into flats. For the next 110 plus years, this four-unit structure has been home to a wide variety of St. Joseph citizens. Everyone from an adding machine champion to a chiropractor have lived here. In recent years this fine structure has suffered from neglect and it is now in need of someone to make the needed repairs so that it can stand proudly on its corner for another century.

Theodore B. Hoagland Duplex

1343-1345 Buchanan Ave.

You just have to look at the front of the brick duplex at 1343-1345 Buchanan Ave. to know that it is somewhere special. Built in 1900 as a rental property, it clearly was built to attract people with discerning taste. And over the years it has been home to a wide range of families. Though it is now suffering from neglect, the charming architectural details still abound and it isn’t hard to imagine how wonderful it could be again!

Learn more about this special historic house on the next page. MLS#2396124

Burnstein Bakery Apartments

815-817 S. 8th Street

SOLD

Built before the turn of the century, the Burnstein Bakery Apartments are located in the heart of the most historic part of St. Joseph.

Initially, this structure was strictly residential with many fascinating characters making their home here. But as the neighborhood became home to a growing Eastern European Jewish community businesses began to spring up and the lower level was used as a storefront while families lived on the upper stories.

The current brick front of the lovely building was put on in the 1920s, but hints of its older history can be found when you walk around the back.

In recent years it has been renovated into 4 wonderfully modern and liveable loft apartments.

It’s long history as the Burnstein Bakery means that many people in St. Joe have sweet memories of this place. It is ready for more delicious experiences. 

Learn more about this fascinating historic property on the following page. MLS #2189135

Illmer Duplex

705/707 N. 4th Street

Built ca. 1890, this historic brick duplex has many stories to tell – and is in wonderful condition to tell them! It was built during the economic boom time of the growing city to provide housing and income for the workers who made the city tick. Over the 130 years of its life it has seen a wide variety of characters come through its doors. Everyone from the General Agent for Anheuser-Busch, to the Superintendant for the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railroad, to a juvenile delinquent have lived here. The duplex is in fine shape and ready to make another 130 years of memories! Learn more about this charming historic property on the following page. MLS #24088-12202

Tilly’s Duplex

1202/04 N. 10th Street

The earliest resident of record at this charming brick duplex was Miss Tilly Jameson – unfortunately that’s all we know about her. However, some of the other residents left more robust paper trails. Among the people who called this home was a Vice President of the Goetz Brewing Company, a President of the Pioneer Sand Company, and a renowned physical fitness advocate. Two of the women who lived here had their poems published in the local newspapers – a testament to the joy they felt at the home. Learn more about this inspirational historic property on the following page. MLS #2227297