Built in 1916

This building, designed by Nolte and Nauman, Architects, was built for Cadillac Automobile Co. of St. Louis, and remained the St. Louis Cadillac, dealership showroom, through 1919. Cadillac was already a respected luxury car, at the time this building was built. In 1908, Cadillac had become the first production car in the world to have fully interchangeable parts. From this achievement, came Cadillac's slogan, "Standard of the World". In 1912, Cadillac introduced the first self-starter, eliminating hand cranking, the cause of many broken arms. The Cadillacs sold from the building's showroom were powered by 314 cubic inch, V-8 motors, which Cadillac had introduced in 1915, and had wheelbases of 125 inches to 145 inches.

Cadillac was founded by Henry Ford as the Henry Ford as the Henry Ford Motor Co. Upset by Henry Ford's preoccupation with auto racing, his financial backers forced Ford out in 1902 and renamed the company, Cadillac Automobile Co. Henry Ford went on to found Ford Motor Co.

After Cadillac, this building was, in sequence, Orthwein Chevrolet, Tilton Gardner Motor Co., Central Star and Durant Sales Co. and in 1929 and 1930, the Jordan St. Louis Co. The Gardner automobile was manufactured in St. Louis. The Jordan automobile, although a pioneer of hydraulic brakes, was as famous for its flamboyant ads, as



for the car itself.

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