W. M. Ross Building, Ross & Gossage Building, H. M. Wilmarth Bros. Gas Fixture House
Location: 167 & 169 Lake stree
Life Span: 1856-1871
Architect: Olmsted & Nicholson
D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60
Ross W. M. & Co., William M. and John H. Ross,) dry goods, 167 and 169 Lake
Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Ross W. M. & Co., 167 and 169 Lake
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1871
Wilmarth H. M. & Bro. 167 and 169 Lake
Chicago Daily Tribune, January 4, 1856
LAKE STREET.
Ross & Foster’s mammoth store on Lake street, 40 by 181 fect. This is one of the most magnificent and with but one exception the largest store in the United States. It is five stories in a height of 72 feet. The front is of cut stone from the Athen’s quarry. owned by D. C. Skelly. The design for the front, though not new, is very handsome, being a much improved copy of a very familiar and prominent store front in Broadway, N. Y. The interior arrangement and design is quite original in conception, and beautiful beyond any similar establishment to be found in the United States. The scope and design of an article of this nature, however, do not admit of a lengthy description of this truly magnificent edifice. Perhaps too, it would be superfluous to most of our readers, for the name of “Ross & Foster’s store” has become a household phrase, familiar to every one in Chicago, and a good many out of it; and conveys a volume of description in itself. Cost of the whole $50,000. Olmsted & Nicholson, architects. Cut stone by and from the quarry of D. C. Skelley, Masons, Malcolm & Co. Carpenters, Dere & Lumbard. Interior carpenter work of stone, A. Grannis, Iron work, Letz & Burling. Decorations, William Gibson, of N. York, Painting and Glazing, Thomson & Alston. Plastering, Fitzmorris & Donohue. Plumbing and gas fittings, Robert McFarlane.
Chicago Daily Tribune, February 1, 1856
EVENING SCHOOL.-An evening school has been opened, in Room No. 5, Ross & Foster’s Building, Lake street, for instruction in common English studies and mathematics, with their application to surveying, engineering and mechanical drawing. Mr. H. Tweed Dale is the teacher, and he is highly recommended as a competent and most efficient in-structor.
Chicago Tribune, April 29, 1856
NEW GOODS AND NEW FASHIONS.-“Just about now” all the “faire ladyes” are manifesting unusual interest in the fashions for the spring or summer of 1856, and inspecting the rich and rare silks and other robes, offered for sale. Happening into the superb Marble Dry Goods Palace of Messrs. Ross & Foster, on yesterday, we saw a world of rare and beautiful goods of almost every name and kind, and we saw too, a regular mass meeting of madams and misses all busily engaged in the absorbing and vastly important business of shopping. We saw large piles of just imported and very handsome silk muslin, and Grenadine robes that cost from only $30 up to $55, and next were some beautiful Organdies, and Braiges, of entirely new designs. Next came some of this month’s importation silks, several of the patterns of which are exquisite. We noticed particularly a water lily pattern, the Alma Flounce and a rich brocade flounce. These are sold at $50 a robe. We also saw a number of splendid moire antique patterns at $4 per yard. The assortment of summer silks is very complete, embracing several hundred different styles, and are sold as low as seventy-five cents per yard, having cost eighty-five cents to import them, and having been sold at auction. We noticed a number of very pretty flounced silk robes as low as $15.
We next saw the splendid assortments of laces and lace goods always kept by this house. Among them were point lace sets at $75; Hositon and Maltese colors at from $10 to $75 each; beautiful pocket handkerchiefs at $40 apiece; point lace applica at from $15 to 850; French embroideries at from six cents to 815; Mechling and Brussell’s guipure lace at $15 per yard; Brussell’s point lace sets at $75; and an endless variety of all kinds of goods of this class. The assortment of shawls is very fine, embracing every style and quality, among these we noticed some stella bordered cashmere that are very handsome for summer. The assortment of Talmas, Mantillas and cloaks is very fine; among the patterns we particularly admired the Eugenia, though the Empress, Victoria and Clara are very beautiful. These cost from $25 to $75.
In this establishment may be found also a very extensive and well selected stock of domestic goods of all kinds, calicoes, merinoes, alpacca’s, etc., as well as one of the best stocks ever seen of gentlemen’s under garments, hosiery, gloves, cravats, etc.
While Messrs. Ross & Foster have the most beautiful and commodious store west of New York eity, they also have it filled with as good and complete an assortment of goods as are either of those far-famed New York stores, Stewart’s or Beck’s. Mesars. R. & F. have in their retail department some of everything that is either new or elegant, while in their wholesale department may be found piles of rich and valuable goods of every kind. Some idea may be formed of the extent of the retail trade of this establisment when it is remembered that forty salesmen are required to wait upon customers. Our lady readers ought to visit this store and inspect the new goods, for we can assure them they will be well repaid for the trouble.
Chicago Evening Post, November 9, 1869
Gas Mixtures.
A visit to the immense gas fixture establishment of H. M. Wilmarth Bro. will astonish the beholder with the variety and brilliancy of their stock, which is unexcelled in the Northwest. Every taste can there be satisfied, as well as every purse. See advertisement elsewhere, and see the accommodating Wilmarths at their great Gas Fixture House on Lake street.
- W. A. Ross
1862/ol>
- H. M. Wilmarth & Bro.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869