Lumberman’s Exchange Building,
Life Span: 1872-~1922
Location: Northeast Corner of South Water Street and Franklin streets
Architect:
Chicago Tribune, February 18, 1872
The Lumberman’s Exchange, the property of G. C. Smith, Esq., on South Water street, is nearly ready for occupancy. The building is three stories in height, with a high basement, has a front of pressed brick finished with terra cotta. The lot is 30 by 50.
The Land Owner, May, 1873
THE LUMBERMAN’S EXCHANGE.
This building in South Water street forms a nucleus for lumber dealers, and here we find several of our prominent firms engaged in supplying this city and the country at large with lumber.
Messrs. Carter & Jones.
This firm are extensive dealers in lumber and shingles by the cargo, and transact an enormous business in this line. They have connection with forty-five mills, and last season sold 264,000,000 shingles. They are among the largest dealers in this line in the country, shipping to all parts of the Eastern and Western States and the territories. Their location is an advantageous one, at 240 South Water street, as will appear by reference to our illustration. This house enjoys a very fine reputation for business integrity. Their facilities for supplying their customers with large orders are first-class, and scarcely a point in the country where building material is consumed can be visited without finding their shipments there. It is such firms as this that give Chicago her metropolitan character, and sustain the high reputation this market has so long enjoyed. The fire did not impair their facilities, nor stop their business. Their stock of lumber and shingles is at all times so large that any order can be filled on receipt.
Rebuilt Chicago.—The Lumberman’s Exchange on South Water Street..
Messrs. Irish, Bullen & Co.
This firm sell annually about fifty millions of lumber, and one hundred and fifty millions of shingles. They are commission dealers in lumber and shingles by the cargo, or shingles by the car load. Their office is at 234 outh Water street, where their customers and the public will find them in a pleasant office ready to serve them. With large facilities for the transaction of business, and a thorough knowledge of its demands and details, the firm takes rank among our best and most successful merchants, the individual members are S. A. Irish, Esq., W. H. Bullen, Esq., and G. F. Sinclair, Esq.
Messrs. Phillips & Browne.
This firm is at No. 2 in the Lumberman’s Exchange. They manufacture and deal largely in lumber, lath and shingles by the cargo. Their mills are located at North Muskegon, Muskegon, and Pentwater, giving them great manufacturing facilities. At North Muskegon the firm is Phillips & Brown; at Muskegon, Browne, Nelson & Co.; and at Pentwater, S. A. Browne & Co. Mr. Wm. B. Phillips, of this firm, is President of the Goss & Phillips Manufacturing Company, an extended article upon which, with illustrations, appears elsewhere.
LEFT: Factory, Corner Clark and Twelfth Streets.
RIGHT: Factory, Corner Twenty-second and Fisks Streets.
Charles Fitz Simons.
This gentleman, with James H. Ledlie, Esq., as special partner, is located at No. 7 Lumberman’s Exchange. He has facilities for furnishing all kinds of long timber up to 65 feet, joists, Howe Truss Bridge timber, railroad trestle timber, etc. His mill and timber yard is located at the corner of West Twenty-second and Union streets. The firm are engineers, contractors, manufacturers and dealers in timber, joists, bridge and building materials, and for promptness and business standing are above reproach.
Lumberman’s Exchange Building
Robinson’s Fire Maps
1886
Rand McNally’s Bird’s-Eye Views of Chicago and Guide to Chicago, 1893
The Lumbermen’s Exchange Building-Fronts 80 feet on South Water and 30 feet on Franklin Street, at the northeast corner. It is an old style brick, 50 feet high, 3 stories and basement. This part of the river was for years the lumber market, and here lake craft tied up, awaiting a sale, hence, the Lumbermen’s Exchange. Erected in 1873.
Epilogue
Lumberman’s Exchange moved into their new building on 1915 at 11 S. LaSalle Street, later called the Roanoke Building. The building itself fell victim to the Wacker Drive Improvement Program about 1922
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