Watson B. Farr/ John A. Scudder house
Built: 1881
Demolished: 1950
Style: Italianate
Neighborhood: Grand Center
City block: 2289
On 1875 Compton and Dry Map: no
On 1883 Hopkins Atlas: yes
Historical significance: This house was built in 1881 for Watson B. Farr, a banker. Farr was also invested in a cattle company, which in 1886 suffered the loss of thousands of cattle during a particularly harsh winter in Montana. As a result, Farr and his neighbor at 21 Vandeventer Place, Henry L. Newman, who was also invested in the cattle company, were both forced to sell their Vandeventer Place mansions. In 1888, the mansion was sold to John A. Scudder for $60,000. Scudder was head of the Memphis and St. Louis Packet Company, which was a steamboat company that operated between St. Louis and other Southern cities along the Mississippi, such as Memphis, as the name suggests. Scudder was heavily involved in interstate commerce along the Mississippi, which was big business in St. Louis during the 19th century. He was also the president of the Merchant’s Exchange in 1877, and Vice President of the St. Louis and New Orleans Anchor Line. Outside of the steamboat lines, Scudder was also director of the St. Louis Trust Company.
Architectural significance: This house was built in the Italianate style, and featured a hipped roof with large dormers on the third floor. This house had early examples of Terra cotta brickwork throughout, as well as intricate designs on the dormer windows.
Captain John A. Scudder