YorksPast

The Historic Hoover Building in first block of Philadelphia Street was constructed in 1892 for George W. Hoover, however for the greater part of its life it served as the York Dispatch Newspaper Offices. In 1978, this became the 16th property in York County listed on the National Register of Historic Places, largely due to its rare four-story cast iron and pressed metal façade.

By date listed, here are the initial 16 properties in York County listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are presently 99 such properties in York County.

(1) November 10, 1970 … Billmeyer House in York City
(2) December 6, 1971 … Gen. Horatio Gates House in York City
(3) April 26, 1972 … George Nace House in Hanover Borough
(4) October 5, 1972 … Cookes House in York City
(5) February 20, 1975 … Warrington Meetinghouse in Warrington Township
(6) May 6, 1975 … York Meetinghouse in York City
(7) October 29, 1975 … Barnett Bobb House in York City
(8) January 11, 1976 … Guinston United Presbyterian Church in Chanceford Township
(9) January 30, 1976 … Samuel Stoner Homestead in West Manchester Township
(10) October 8, 1976 … Laurel-Rex Fire Company House in York City
(11) August 16, 1977 … Dritt Mansion in Lower Windsor Township
(12) November 25, 1977 … Farmers Market in York City
(13) December 6, 1977 … Wellsville Historic District in Wellsville
(14) December 22, 1977 … Wallace-Cross Mill in East Hopewell Township
(15) December 27, 1977 … Forry House in York City
(16) March 8, 1978 … York Dispatch Newspaper Offices in York City

National Register corrections for Hoover Building

Mesker Brothers Iron Works was based in St. Louis, Missouri, and operated by the brothers Bernard and Frank Mesker. The National Register application for the 15-17 East Philadelphia Street building incorrectly attributes the cast iron and pressed metal façade to a competing company; the George L. Mesker Company, based in Evansville, Indiana. Possibly the Mesker Bros. plaque was covered by a planter at the time the National Register application was made? Later in this post, it is also shown that the National Register application incorrectly uses 1887 as the date the building was built.

Mesker Brothers Iron Works was formed in 1879, specializing in the manufacture of cast iron and pressed metal building facades. The October 4, 1887 patent reference on the Mesker Bros. plaque affixed to the 15-17 East Philadelphia Street building refers to the date United States Patent No. 371,089 was granted to Frank Mesker and Henry F. Edwards, of St. Louis, Missouri, Assignors to Mesker Bros. That patent was for new and useful improvements in the construction and fabrication of sheet-metal columns used in building fronts.

George W. Hoover purchases East Philadelphia Street property

On March 28, 1889, George W. Hoover purchases the East Philadelphia Street property in question during Estate sale of George C. Wilt (Deed 8J-684). The lot is 32’-6” wide and 230’ long, extending from East Philadelphia Street to East Gas Alley. At the time, the lot is largely vacant except for a 2-story brick dwelling along East Philadelphia Street and two small frame buildings along East Gas Alley. Immediately George Hoover entered into a contract with Elias Byerts to construct a 3-story carriage shop 32’-6” by 100’ to the rear of the Wilt lot; i.e. next to East Gas Alley. In November 1889, George Hoover moves into his new Wagon and Carriage Works from his old shops along North George Street, once located about where Brooks Robinson Plaza now exists.

Planning for the 4-Story Building with cast iron and pressed metal façade

George Hoover announces the volume of wagon and carriage orders warrants a major expansion, such that plans are being drawn for a large four-story addition to be built fronting Philadelphia Street, which would be in front of the present works. Construction begins in November 1891, with demolition of the existing 2-story brick dwelling along East Philadelphia Street. The expanded Hoover Wagon Works opens in April 1892.

The following 2015 photo shows the four four-story Hoover Building, fronted by a cast iron and pressed metal façade, which was constructed in 1892 along East Philadelphia Street. It expanded the Hoover Wagon Works already operating in the neighborhood; i.e. adding to the 3-story shops along East Gas Alley and the leased neighboring 2-story building with associate rear lot, shown at left side of photo.

The front page of The York Dispatch of April 8, 1892 reports, “The New Four Story Carriage Factory of George W. Hoover Now in Operation.” Quoting the whole article:

“The mammoth four-story, iron front, addition recently built to George W. Hoover’s carriage factory on East Philadelphia Street, near George, has been completed and is now occupied. The addition is an imposing and handsome edifice, 32’-6” x 105’, making the entire establishment 32’-6” x 230’.”

“The first and second floors have been stocked with a large and handsome display of vehicles of all kinds. The third floor is used for trimming and erection rooms. The fourth floor is devoted to body and gear varnishing. This department is high above the dust of the street and insures perfect work in that line.”

“The growth of this establishment has been remarkable. In a few years it has grown from an unpretentious shop to one of mammoth proportions. Mr. Hoover now enjoys such a reputation for his work that it is shipped all over the United States, his market reaching from Maine to Mexico. He makes a specialty of building medium grade buggies, business wagons and daytons, large numbers of which find a ready sale in New York and other large cities. The New York branch, which Mr. Hoover has opened in that city, is selling great numbers of his business wagons, which enjoy a good reputation there. Since the building of the addition to these works the force has been increased and the output much enlarged. The display of vehicles now on exhibition in the new building is worth a visit.”

The functions of George W. Hoover’s expanded Wagon Manufacturing Works are indicated on the following section of a 1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of York, Pa. My annotations are in blue. The 1894 York Directory has George W. Hoover’s business at 9 & 11 East Philadelphia Street. The house numbering, since about 1903, renumbered them as 15 East Philadelphia Street for the Hoover Building & 21 East Philadelphia Street for the neighboring building and lot being leased.

In 1899, at the age of 59, George W. Hoover retires from carriage & wagon manufacturing when he sells his successful business to a group of investors, who acquire Hoover’s designs, machinery, inventory, and customer contacts. The new company is named Hoover Wagon Company and they soon move to a larger plant site along Wheatfield Street in the Norway Park development in the eastern section of the City.

George W. Hoover retains the Hoover Building for an additional four years, which includes the 4-story building along Philadelphia Street and 3-story building to the rear. During those four years George W. Hoover leases space in the Hoover Building to various tenants. On December 7, 1903, George W. Hoover sells the property to The Dispatch Publishing Company (Deed 13P-68).

The following York County History Center photo of 1968 shows four-story building that the Dispatch Publishing Company purchased from George W. Hoover on December 7, 1903. The building is located at 15-17 East Philadelphia Street and fronted by the Mesker Bros. cast iron and pressed metal façade.

Click on this LINK for a yorkblog.com Full View of the photos and illustrations in this post.

Links to related posts:

Hoover Wagon Works founded by George W. Hoover

Explaining why York house numbering changed in the earliest years of the 1900s

Hoover Factory Fire on same site in 1904

York-Hoover Body and the Jeep

York Connections to Earliest Jeeps