Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saint Anthony’s Sign of the Cross
The plane as it lies
Douglas C-47B Crash Site
Museum of Perfume
Charlotte Temple’s Grave
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Omni Parker House Hotel
The Omni Parker House: Inside the History of Boston’s Most Iconic Hotel
about 3 hours ago
The cute capybara.
Animal Takeover: Brace Yourself for Adorable Hordes
1 day ago
The Codex Gigas (the Devil’s Bible) open to the portrait of the devil.
Codex Gigas: Who Drew the Devil in This Massive Medieval Bible?
2 days ago
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Missouri St. Louis Wainwright State Office Building

Wainwright State Office Building

One of the world's earliest skyscrapers.

St. Louis, Missouri

Added By
jtchibnalljr
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Wainwright State Office Building   pasa47
Wainwright State Office Building   pasa47
Wainwright State Office Building   fitzgene
Wainwright State Office Building   fitzgene
Wainwright State Office Building   Reading Tom
Wainwright State Office Building   bluebike
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When the Wainwright State Office Building was completed in 1891, it towered ten floors over the city of St. Louis and won the praise of critics and passersby alike. The exterior of the building is composed of terra cotta. The design was the brainchild of  Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan.

Commissioned by Ellis Wainwright, who was a St. Lous brewer,  the building was designed as an office space. A major aspect of the building is that it was one of the first skyscrapers to successfully utilize a steel frame for its construction.

Standing at 135 feet tall, this architectural marvel is quite small by today's standards. However, its terra cotta exterior and detailed finishes, paired with its architectural significance make the Wainwright building a must-see for any visitor to downtown St. Louis.

Related Tags

Buildings Architecture Design History & Culture

Know Before You Go

This is a private office building, so best viewed from outside. 

Community Contributors

Added By

jtchibnalljr

Published

November 4, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.archdaily.com/127393/ad-classics-wainwright-building-louis-sullivan
  • https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/Wainwright-Builiding.cfm
Wainwright State Office Building
111 N 7th St
St. Louis, Missouri, 63101
United States
38.627385, -90.192199
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Eros Bendato

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Old St. Louis County Courthouse

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Burial Place of Chief Pontiac

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of St. Louis

St. Louis

Missouri

Places 36
Stories 10

Nearby Places

Eros Bendato

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Old St. Louis County Courthouse

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Burial Place of Chief Pontiac

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of St. Louis

St. Louis

Missouri

Places 36
Stories 10

Related Places

  • Granary in Jankowo up close

    Jankowo, Poland

    Walter Gropius's 1906 Spichlerz

    A Bauhaus co-founder designed this quirky, abandoned granary.

  • The Ancient House

    London, England

    The Ancient House

    One of London's oldest houses contains a mixture of both old and modern features.

  • Magruder’s Blacksmith Shop

    Bethesda, Maryland

    Magruder's Blacksmith Shop

    One of the oldest standing structures in Montgomery County, Maryland.

  • One Calvert Plaza

    Baltimore, Maryland

    One Calvert Plaza

    Baltimore's first skyscraper may be home to the inspiration behind pulp fiction's most celebrated bird.

  • The Walrus Heads.

    San Francisco, California

    The Walrus Heads of the Financial District

    These six walrus head statues harken back to a time when this area wasn't far from the oceanfront.

  • The courtyard.

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Oost-Indisch Huis

    The former headquarters of history's oldest megacorporation.

  • ‘Hvězdicová Kotelna’

    Slaný, Czechia

    'Hvězdicová Kotelna'

    An unusual heating plant that has garnered notoriety for its distinct shape.

  • The Lodge of Edinburgh

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    The Lodge of Edinburgh

    Scotland's first Masonic lodge may also be the oldest in the world.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.