Downtown West in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Packard Building

Built c. 1913

By Devry Becker Jones, April 22, 2019

1. Packard Building Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This structure was built by O.L. Halsey by permission of the Packard Motor Car Co., to serve as St. Louis' Packard dealership and distributorship. It was designed by architect J.L. Wees. Halsey had been the first car dealer in St. Louis. By 1915, Halsey moved to Boston and turned this building over to Packard. It was a direct factory outlet until bought by George M. Berry in 1923, who sold Packards from this site through 1953.

From the late teens to WWII, Packard's was the world's most popular luxury car, regularly out-selling all other luxury car competitors. Packards were conservatively stylish and admired for consistently fine craftsmanship and smooth performance. Packard's massive "Twin Six", V-12 models were sold here.

The first Packard car was built in 1899. In 1900, the manufacturing company was established as the Ohio Automobile Co., in Warren, Ohio, by brothers James Ward Packard and William Doud Packard with associates. In 1902, Henry B. Joy gained control of the company. The next year, he changed its name to Packard Motor Co., and moved operations to Detroit. Packard's Detroit buildings were designed by Albert

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Kahn and were a breakthrough for auto plants, in airiness, few columns and open space. The Packard buildings established Kahn as the pre-eminent designer of auto plants, including his later buildings at the Ford, River Rouge Plant, the world's largest auto production facility.

Erected by The Horseless Carriage Club of Missouri and Hilliker Corporation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles.

Location. 38° 38.017′ N, 90° 12.656′ W. Marker is in Downtown West in St. Louis, Missouri. Marker is on Locust Street west of North 22nd Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2201 Locust Street, Saint Louis MO 63103, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Peerless Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lambert-Deacon-Hull Printing Company Building (about 400 feet away); Willys Building (about 400 feet away); Mendenhall Building (about 600 feet away); 2635 Locust Street (approx. ¼ mile away); Aloe Plaza (approx. 0.3 miles away); Scott Joplin Residence (approx. 0.3 miles away); Union Station (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Downtown West.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 103 times since then and 5 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on April 29, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.