John R. Lionberger House
Built: 1885-1887
Demolished: 1950
Style: Richardsonian Romanesque
Architect: Henry Hobson Richardson
Neighborhood: Grand Center
City block: 2289
On 1875 Compton and Dry Map: no
On 1883 Hopkins Atlas: no
Historical significance. This house was built for John R. Lionberger between 1885 and 1887. John R. Lionberger had been invested in several industries, and owned the Lionberger and Shields Boot and Shoe Company. He also was the president, and a founding member of the Third National Bank in St. Louis, and president of the St. Louis and St. Joseph Railroad. Lionberger died in 1894, and his family owned the house until about 1910. His son Isaac H. Lionberger lived nearby on Delmar, and also had a Richardson designed house. 27 Vandeventer Place was later sold to George F. Tower Jr. who rented out the house in the 1920s, against the original indentures of the street. The house survived all the way up until the street was cleared for the VA hospital. Due to the significance of the Lionberger house, plans were made to move the house to West County when Vandeventer Place was being demolished, but the plans fell through due to the cost of moving the house.
Architectural significance: This house was designed by Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson, who was famous for his signature Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture, which featured wide stone arches and large turrets, giving many of his buildings a castle like appearance. Although Richardson died in 1886, his building style remained popular with many other architects until about 1900. This particular house was one of three Richardson designed houses in the St. Louis area, and featured a granite facade with a second story porch built in, as well as twin turrets. Richardson knew the Lionberger family, as George Shepley was related to the Lionbergers by marriage, and worked at Richardson’s’ architectural firm before going to start Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, after Richardson’s death. Because of the architectural significance of Richardson and his works, there was an outcry to save the house, and an unsuccessful attempt to move it to West County. This attempt fell through due to the cost of moving the house.
John R. Lionberger
Lionberger house during demolition in 1950.