St. Louis Mutual Life Insurance Building, 1871

This fine structure dedicated to insurance was built at Locust and Sixth streets; it was alternatively named the St. Louis Life Insurance Company Building and the Equitable Building (after its main tenants). The building was constructed in 1871, according to Emporis, and has subsequently been demolished. At one time it held the main offices for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. It also was graced with multiple statues along its roofline that were intended for use on the Eads Bridge; this were removed some time before 1886.

"Looking down on the St. Louis of to-day, from the high roof of the Insurance temple."

The two sepia tone illustrations are from The Great South: A Record of Journeys by Edward King (1875) (freely available online from UNC-Chapel Hill [here]). King was quite smitten with St. Louis, remarking on its "continental" flavor that derived from the brown tinge on buildings that came as a result of coal burning.
A later view of the building without the rooftop statues, from Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). Notice the horsedrawn trolley line.

View down Chestnut from Fourth Street, ca. 1885

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). A charming street view looking east down Chestnut Street from Fourth. Notice the river beyond the levee and the many buildings obliterated by the Arch grounds. Compare with the same view from Google StreetView:

Four Courts Jail and Morgue, ca. 1885

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888):

"The Four Courts, a magnificent building, contains the headquarters of the police department, the health department, the several city courts, the court of criminal correction, first district police court, St. Louis criminal court, the jail and holdover. The main building fronts on Clark ave. the length of the block from 11th to 12th sts. and the architectural features of the structure are grand and imposing. The monster jail building is in the rear center while the Morgue occupies the northeast corner of the block, which is the property of the city."

Post Office Building, 1884

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). This depicts the Customs House, one of the most solid structures in the city. The building's foundations rest on granite slabs, which in turn rest on granite blocks that were placed into cores excavated to bedrock. It was constructed during the latter part of the 1870s and into the early 1880s. During the late 19th century, virtually every federal office was located in the building, from railroad mail marshals to U.S. Marine hospital services to the U.S. signal service, which operated an observatory for a time from the dome. The Customs House (now known as the Old Post Office) has been renovated; more information is available at [Built St. Louis].

Old St. Louis City Hall, ca. 1885

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). This print depicts the old city hall, located at Chestnut, Market and Eleventh streets. Many city residents (including Orear) were not fond of the structure; Orear writes that "the City Hall is a monster barn, built of brick, ... and if it does not fall down, it will be because luck is in favor of its occupants." The building later was torn down and the lot currently is the site of the Civil Courts Building (finished in 1929).

Old Courthouse, ca. 1885

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). A splendid little cut of the Old Courthouse, now under the authority of the National Park Service. The angle of the cut suggests it is from Market and Chestnut, looking northwest.

View down Third from Pine Street, ca. 1885

From Commercial and Architectural St. Louis by George Washington Orear (1888). This is a print from R.L. Coleman and Co., of the German Savings Institution, depicting the view south on Third Avenue from Pine Street. Orear notes the Merchants Exchange Building on the right. All this was demolished in the 1930s for the Arch grounds and I-70.