The Jordan Block 4th & Market 1885-1982

On the southeast corner of 4th and E. Market – just “Market” then - the “East” was added later as the town grew – was a meat market owned and operated by Herman Stern. The address by modern numbering became 401 E. Market. A Farmer’s Market parking lot occupies the space in 2015.

Will Ball, Cass Historian, 1950, Part CXVI, wrote:
"When I came to Logansport in the summer of 1888...the corner of 4th & Market streets looked today as it did then with the exception of the southeast corner. At that time there was a one story stone building there occupied by Herman Stern, as a meat market. After Stern's retirement Dr. Michael A. Jordan bought the corner and removed the old building, of native gray stone, and erected a brown stone structure."
 
Hence the name "Jordan Block".
 
Dr. Jordan moved his practice from Broadway over to the second floor of the new building and one of Logansport’s four banks; the Logansport State Bank, occupied the main floor. 

December 21, 1892 Logansport Journal, page 8:

The stone work on the new Jordan building is completed and a good idea of the general beauty of the fine new building can now be obtained. When completed this elegant brown stone building will be one of the very handsomest buildings in the State.

 

April 4, 1892 Logansport Pharos Tribune, page 3:

The rumor is again revived that a new bank is to be established in this city. The names of Logansport and Peru capitalists are connected with the enterprise, and the Dr. Jordan building to be erected at the corner of Market and Fourth streets, is said to be the location for the bank

 

 

Above: Logansport State Bank about 1895

 

 

 

 



 



June 21, 1893 Logansport Weekly Pharos, page 5:

The New Bank Contracts For An Elegant Outfit of Furniture.

The directors of the Logansport State bank closed a contract today with the Grand Rapids school furniture company, for a handsome counter and outfit of furniture for the new bank that is to be opened in the Jordan block. The counter is to be of quarter-sawed white oak, light antique finish, surmounted by clear bevel plate glass, above which extends a wide band of Japanese copper grill work.

Postcard bearing a photo taken during the 1913 flood. Bank at left.

 

4th & E. Market looking south to the Pennsylvania Depot.

 



"Entering the bank from Market street, to the left is President Seybold's desk, fronted by a low railing of the same style as the counter; back of this the counter and its high trimmings begin, and extend to the rear of the room; just back of the president is the cashier's cage, and behind this the quarters for the exchange clerk, book keeper etc." - Logansport Weekly Pharos, 6-21-1893



 Above: The bank building at right, the view goes to the east, up E. Market circa 1960s.
Below: the buildings lined up along 4th Street from E. Market (bank on the corner) south to E. Melbourne Avenue where the Pennsylvania Depot stood.

 



Above: Buildings behind the bank building were razed during the 1970s.

 



 

Sometime after the 1970s a pole building was erected in that area behind the bank building for the Salvation Army. In 1982 the Farmers & Merchants State Bank razed the old Logansport State Bank Building at 401 E. Market. As of 2015 the pole building is being removed.