The History of The City Hall Building

The building occupied by the St. Charles County Historical Society at 101 South Main Street, St. Charles, MO, celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1998.  It was originally known as the “Market and Fish House.”  In honor of the building’s 175th anniversary, the Society conducted an open house on Saturday, May 9th.  A new museum was inaugurated at that time which has featured exhibits for public viewing since that time. 

During the period the Missouri State Capitol was located in St. Charles (1821-1826), William G. Pettus, Secretary of State for the State of Missouri, saw a need for a public market.  Pettus envisioned a market place where farmers and fishermen of the County could sell their food items to other residents of the County.  In the March 13, 1822 newspaper, The Missourian, a notice was printed requesting proposals be submitted by April 15, 1822, for building a market house and for a piece of ground upon which the building would be constructed.  On March 28, 1823, William G. and Caroline R. Pettus purchased the lot on Main and Jefferson Streets from Antoine Reynal.  Reynal had owned the property since 1800.  He was owner of the St. Charles Fur Trading Company.  Later in 1823, a two
Company.  Later in 1823, a two-story building with a basement was built and opened as the Market and Fish House.  The original building is a part of the present building.  William and Caroline Pettus lived only two blocks away at 307 South Main Street.

Pettus was originally from Virginia and served in the War of 1812.  He served as the clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court, Secretary of the Missouri Constitution Convention (he wrote out the first Missouri Constitution), Secretary of State for the State of Missouri, Missouri State Senator, and judge.  Caroline Pettus served as hostess for the farewell party given for all State officials when the State Capitol was moved from St. Charles to the City of Jefferson (Jefferson City) in 1826.  Caroline was the daughter of Major James Morrison who operated the Salt Lick Springs at Franklin, Missouri, which was at the western end of the Boone’s Lick Road.

The Market and Fish House contained stalls or booths for produce, a scale to weigh wagon loads of goods, outside oil lamps for lighting, a large public bulletin board to post public and private notices, and wooden benches around the building.  It was open Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday.  After a wagon load of goods was weighed, it would go to the back of the building and items would be sold from the wagon or unloaded and sold.  The Market and Fish House proved to be a popular and successful venture.

During the early years of the building, the town band played on the Market steps once a week to entertain those who sat on the benches around the building.  Many people rested on the benches and listened to the band while waiting for the mail coach to arrive at the Post Office located at 318 South Main Street.  The band would stop playing when the mail coach passed by the building heading to the Post Office.  At this time in American  history, all mail was sent from and picked up at the Post Office.

On December 18, 1832, St. Charles County purchased the Market and Fish House.  The County added additional booths and started to charge a fee for the use of a booth.  They added booths for women to sell “handwork.”  Approximately three months after the County purchased the Market and Fish House, the County sold it to the City of St. Charles on March 21, 1833.  The hurricane of February 26, 1876, blew the roof off the building.  On March 1, 1876, a different shape roof was put onto the building.  The building continued to be used as the Market and Fish House until 1886.  The building was used as the market and Fish House for 63 years.  In 1886, the building was expanded some 20 feet to the east, windows were added to the front of the building, the booths were torn out, and other changes were made to convert the building into the City Hall of St. Charles.  A cornerstone was placed in front of the building addition indicating the conversion of the building from a market place to the City Hall.  The building was used as the City Hall for the next 87 years until 1973.  By 1973, the building could no longer handle the needs of the City and a new City Hall