The New England Building at 112 W. 9th St. (northeast corner of 9th and Wyandotte), a handsome Massachusetts brownstone Italian Renaissance style building, was constructed to house the New England Mutual Life Insurance Co. Designed by architects Bradlee, Winslow and Wetherell of Boston, it was erected in 1887-88 as a show of faith by Eastern investors in the business future of Kansas City. It was Kansas City's tallest building at the time. Each of the seven floors has two walk-in safes. There are 57 fireplaces and two elevators. A distinguishing architectural feature is the two-story high oriel bay window at the third to fourth floor corner of the structure. Here are the ornamental carved stone seals of five New England states: Maine, Dirigo (I direct) with pine tree and deer; New Hampshire, the frigate Raleigh with 13 stars in a circle below; Vermont, a shield and the motto Freedom and Unity; Rhode Island, the motto Hope above an anchor; Connecticut, three grapevines with the motto Qui Transtulit Sustinet (He who transplanted continues to sustain). For a time the federal government used the building for Social Security offices and painted the interior government brown. Purchased by the Faultless Starch Co. in 1968, the building was rehabilitated and all paint removed from the heavy oak woodwork. The company now uses the sixth and seventh floors as corporate headquarters. Other floors are rented. Gordon Beaham III is president of the firm and his father, Gordon Beaham Jr., chairman of the board. The postcard was published by W.G. MacFarland, Buffalo and Toronto, about 1903. Kansas City Times. June 3, 1983
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