Morse Coe Building
The Old Market Historic Walking Tour
Architects Findley and Shields designed this five-story brick, built in 1892-93 for $40,000. Footwear wholesalers W.V. Morse & Co. and Charles A. Coe and Company combined to manufacture a thousand shoes daily here, with sales focused on the western half of the country. By 1900, Morse had taken over the business and used the first three floors for wholesale boot business and rented the upper floors to the Byrne and Hammer Dry Goods Company for the manufacture of textiles. Throughout the years, the upper levels served as warehouse space for several wholesale commodities, including coffee, groceries, and draperies. Manufacturers and wholesalers occupied the lower levels, among them Brady-Lewis Manufacturing Co., the maker of Oma-alls. They were also producers of furniture, window shades, and veterinary supplies. In the 1950's, Mayfair Textiles, a wholesale distributor of fabrics became associated with the building, later expanding to showcase a retail business on the lower levels. When that business moved west in 1999, the building was redesignated for luxury apartments, preserving the historic integrity of the structure and including the original fire escape.
Marker is at the intersection of Howard Street and 12th Street, on the right when traveling east on Howard Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
