Stockton Mansion

The Stockton House in the Grand Center neighborhood was built in 1890 by Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett in the Richardsonian Romanesque style for wealthy businessman Robert H. Stockton at 3508 Samuel Shepard Drive (formerly Lucas Ave). This was the first known work by the architectural firm, which would later be commissioned for the construction of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, as well as a number of designs in Portland Place, Kingsbury Place, and for many other mansions in St. Louis. Stockton was president of the Majestic Stove Company, and was also a philanthropist. He was named as one of the members on the board of directors for the 1904 World’s Fair, where he was in charge of publicity. Many meetings to discuss the plans for the fair were held in this house. The house was sold to the Skarry family in 1919, of which James Skarry was an eye doctor who practiced in the area. The house remained in the family until 1977, at which point the daughter owned the house and had let it fall into a state of disrepair. However, when it was purchased by a new owner, Frederick Medler, it was restored to its original beauty over the course of several years. The area around the house was once lined with mansions, but today, it only has a handful of neighbors from that time period, as urbanization and the building of the arts and entertainment district saw many of the other homes get replaced with larger buildings. Today, the Stockton House is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is one of several surviving examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in the area around Midtown and Grand Center.

1890 Architectural drawing of the Stockton mansion

Stairway of Stockton Mansion

One of the fireplaces