The Mesker Brothers Iron Works and George L. Mesker & Co. were competing manufacturers and designers of ornamental sheet-metal facades and cast iron storefront components from the 1880s through the mid-twentieth century. The Mesker Brothers Iron Works was based in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, and was operated by brothers Bernard and Frank Mesker. The George L. Mesker Company was operated by a third brother, George L. Mesker, and was based in

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

. The Mesker brothers were the sons of John Mesker who operated a stove business in Evansville and later galvanized iron for buildings. The three brothers learned their iron-working skills from their father. The companies' products are often referred to as "Meskers." The companies also produced tin ceilings, iron railings, stairs, roof cresting, ventilation grates, iron awnings, skylights, and freight elevators. The Meskers marketed their products through catalogs displaying their designs. The catalogs were so successful they expanded print runs from 50,000 to 500,000 one year later. According to a 1915 catalog, there were Mesker storefronts in every state, including 4,130 in Indiana, 2,915 in Illinois, 2,646 in Kentucky, and even 17 in the territory of Alaska. A number of their works are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. Works by the Meskers include: *T.J. Abbott Building,

Golconda, Illinois Golconda is a city in and the county seat of Pope County, Illinois, United States, located along the Ohio River. The population was 630 at the 2020 census. Most of the city is part of the Golconda Historic District. History The city is named af ...

* Buster Meat Market, Main Ave.

Challis, Idaho Challis is the largest city in Custer County, Idaho, United States. It is the county seat and its population was 1,081 at the 2010 census. The 2020 census shows 902 residents, a 16.6% drop. History Challis was founded in 1878 and named for A.P. ...

(Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed *One or more works in Corydon Historic District (Boundary Increase), Roughly bounded by Summit, Maple & Walnut Sts., College Ave., Chestnut, Capitol, Poplar, Water, Beaver & Mulberry Sts.

Corydon, Indiana Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana. Located north of the Ohio River in the extreme southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana, it is the seat of government for Harrison County. Corydon was founded in 1808 and served ...

(Mesker, George L. & Co.), NRHP-listed *One or more works in

Edinburgh Commercial Historic District Edinburgh Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Edinburgh, Johnson County, Indiana. The district encompasses 48 contributing buildings in the central business district of Edinburgh. It developed between about ...

, roughly bounded by Thompson and Main Sts., the alley N of Main Cross St. and the Conrail RR tracks

Edinburgh, Indiana :''Alternative meanings at Edinburgh (disambiguation).'' Edinburgh is a town in Bartholomew, Johnson, and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 4,480 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Columbus, Indiana metropolita ...

(George L. Mesker & Co.), NRHP-listed * J. T. Ferguson Store, 11 E. Main St.

Wilkesboro, North Carolina Wilkesboro is a town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,687 at the 2020 census. The town is located along the south bank of the Yadkin River, directly opposite the town of North Wilkesboro. ...

(Mesker Bros. Front Builders), NRHP-listed * Goedert Meat Market, 322 Main St.

McGregor, Iowa McGregor is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 742 at the time of the 2020 census. McGregor is located on the Mississippi River across from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Pike's Peak State Park is located just south ...

(Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed * Gunning–Purves Building, 311 Main Street, Friendship, Wisconsin (George L. Mesker & Co.), NRHP-listed * Hopkinton Supply Co. Building, 26-28 Main St.

Hopkinton, Massachusetts Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day each April, and as the headquarters for the Dell EMC corpo ...

(Mesker, George L.), NRHP-listed *Hotel Mann,

Virginia, Illinois Virginia is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,514 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Cass County. Geography Virginia is located at (39.949022, -90.211793). According to the 2021 census gazetteer file ...

(Mesker Bros. Iron Works) * Joseph Jackson Hotel, 2420 S. Main St.

Vallonia, Indiana Vallonia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Driftwood and Brownstown townships, Jackson County, Indiana, United States. It was an 18th-century French settlement and 19th-century American frontier fortification kn ...

(Mesker. George and Co.), NRHP-listed *One or more works in Jellico Commercial Historic District, roughly along North and South Main Sts.

Jellico, Tennessee Jellico is a city in Campbell County, Tennessee, United States, on the state border with Kentucky, by road north of Knoxville. The population was 2,355 at the 2010 census. History The name "Jellico" is a local alteration of "angelica", the name ...

(Mesker, George), NRHP-listed * Jones, J. W. Jones Building, 104 Main St., NE

Blackfoot, Idaho Blackfoot (Shoshoni language: Soo-gahni) is a city in Bingham County, Idaho. The population was 11,907 at the time of the 2019 census. The city is the county seat of Bingham County. Blackfoot boasts the largest potato industry in any one area, and ...

(Mesker, Marcus), NRHP-listed * Len Jus Building (Mason City, Iowa) *One or more works in Morgantown Historic District, Approx. 4.5 blocks centered on Washington St., bet. Marion St. and E of Church St.

Morgantown, Indiana Morgantown is a town at the intersection of Indiana state routes 135 and 252 in Jackson Township, Morgan County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 986 at the 2010 census. History Morgantown was founded by Robert Bowles and Samue ...

(Mesker, George L. & Co.), NRHP-listed *One or more works in Mount Vernon Commercial District, Main St. from Church to Richmond Sts. * Mount Vernon, KY (George L. Mesker & Co.), NRHP-listed *One or more works in

North Vernon Downtown Historic District North Vernon Downtown Historic District is a national historic district located at North Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana. It encompasses 80 contributing buildings and 1 contributing structure in the central business district of North Vernon. ...

, bounded by Sixth and Chestnut Sts., Keller St., Fourth and Main, and Jennings

North Vernon, Indiana North Vernon is a city in Jennings County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,608 as of the 2020 census. History North Vernon was originally called Tripton, sometimes referred to as “The Gem of the Midwest” and under the latter na ...

(George L. Mesker & Company), NRHP-listed * Morris Roberts Store, Off U.S. 30

Hagerman, Idaho Hagerman is a city in Gooding County, Idaho, United States. The population was 872 at the 2010 census, up from 656 in 2000. The area is noted for its fossil beds and the Thousand Springs of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. Hagerman is home ...

(Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed *J.C. Schmohl Building,

Galena, Illinois Galena is the largest city in and the county seat of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, with a population of 3,308 at the 2020 census. A section of the city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Galena Historic District. The ci ...

* Vollmer Building, Walnut St. Genesee, Idaho (Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed * Josephine White Block, 737-739 Cranston St.

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

(Mesker Bros.), NRHP-listed * Wilkesboro-Smithey Hotel, Broad and E. Main Sts.

(Mesker Bros. Front Builders), NRHP-listed *

York Dispatch Newspaper Offices The York Dispatch Newspaper Offices is an historic, American commercial building that is located in York, Pennsylvania, York County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. History and architectural feature ...

, 15 and 17 E. Philadelphia St.

York, Pennsylvania York ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Yarrick''), known as the White Rose City (after the symbol of the House of York), is the county seat of York County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the south-central region of the state. The populati ...

(George L. Mesker), NRHP-listed *

Grainfield Opera House The Grainfield Opera House, located at Main and 3rd Sts. in Grainfield, Kansas, was built in 1887. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal gover ...

, Grainfield, Kansas, NRHP-listed *Masonic Hall, 632 Main St, Alamosa, Colorado (Mesker & Bro.) Their work features identically in the

History of South Dakota The history of South Dakota describes the history of the U.S. state of South Dakota over the course of several millennia, from its first inhabitants to the recent issues facing the state. Early inhabitants Human beings have lived in what is t ...

, the

History of North Dakota North Dakota was first settled by Native Americans several thousand years ago. The first Europeans explored the area in the 18th century establishing some limited trade with the natives. Much of the area was first organized by the United ...

, the

History of Montana This is a broad outline history of the state of Montana in the United States. Indigenous peoples Archeological evidence has shown indigenous peoples lived in the area for more than 12,000 years. The oldest dated human burial site in North Americ ...

, and the

History of Nebraska The history of the U.S. state of Nebraska dates back to its formation as a territory by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, passed by the United States Congress on May 30, 1854. The Nebraska Territory was settled extensively under the Homestead Act of 18 ...

References

{{reflist History of St. Louis Manufacturing companies based in St. Louis