Hiram Paddleford House

This Gothic Revival mansion in Carondelet on Broadway on the bluffs above the Mississippi River was built in 1849 by JB Clark for the owner of a shot tower named Hiram Paddleford. This was one of the earlier mansions to be built on the bluffs, and it marked the beginning of a trend where wealthy St. Louisans would build their mansions overlooking the Mississippi. Because of the elevation change on the bluffs, this house wasthree stories high on the side facing the street and five stories on the side overlooking the river. The house was sold in 1852 to Charles Tucker, a grain mill operator who also built Tucker Station along the Iron Mountain Railroad in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. In 1873, the mansion was sold to Alexander H. Smith, who was also a grain mill operator, and he lived in the mansion until 1902. It was then purchased by limestone quarry owner Frederick Hoffmann in 1907, who also lived in the house until his death in 1936, at which time it was willed to his daughter, who was married to Hermann F. Walz. During the mid 20th century, many of the mansions on the bluffs were demolished for apartments and senior living, and unfortunately, this structure was demolished in 1982. Today, only a handful of the Broadway mansions survive.