The Wyeth-Tootle Mansion

St. Joseph is known for an extensive collection of beautiful mansions built around the turn of the century, and the Wyeth Tootle Mansion at the corner of Eleventh and Charles Streets is a prime example. With three floors, a tower and more than 40 rooms, it stands today as one of the best examples of St. Joseph’s late 19th-century wealth and opulence, featuring stunning woodwork, hand-painted ceilings and imported stained glass. In 1879, William and Eliza Wyeth hired architect E. J. Eckel to design a mansion resembling the castles they had seen on the Rhine River as they were traveling in Germany. This 43-room Gothic style mansion combines an example of the homes of early prominent St. Joseph residents with exhibits on the history of St. Joseph. The first floor of the Wyeth Tootle Mansion has been restored to its Victorian grandeur. Old photographs of each room help visitors visualize the interior as it was around 1900. Each room’s ceiling is impressively different, from the cherubs that float above the Louis XVI parlor to the dark rich colors that cover the Moorish room. Ornate parquet floors and walnut woodwork change from room to room. Historical exhibits include portraits of prestigious St. Joseph citizens of the time, a timeline of the growth of St. Joseph in the 1800s, St. Joseph businesses like Aunt Jemima Pancake Flour that had national or international impact, the Civil War in St. Joseph, and Jesse James. One exhibit room features Edmund J. Eckel, the architect for the Wyeth-Tootle mansion and whose firm was responsible for the design of 75 percent of the buildings in St. Joseph. The exhibit focuses on his life and the lasting impact of his accomplishments on St. Joseph and includes his desk, drafting table, and sketches. Natural History fills the third floor of the Wyeth-Tootle. Visitors can see mounts of the mammals, birds, and fish that fill the northwest Missouri region, including a few animals that aren’t from this area including a full-size African Lion and Alaskan Brown Bear that a Wyeth family member brought home from hunting expeditions.