Carthage Historic Preservation, Inc.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 375 | Carthage, MO 64836
Phelps House: 1146 Grand Avenue, Carthage, MO
417.358.1776
PLATT HOUSE
circa 1901
1131 Grand Avenue
Holmes Photography
Cornelius Platt moved to Carthage with his family in 1874 at the age of 11. His father, C.D. Platt, soon opened the Platt Plow Works, where C.B. learned the manufacturing business.
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In 1888, C.B. partnered with his brother-in-law, inventor J.P. Leggett. When Leggett created the first bedspring, Platt invested what money he could, helping turn the idea into a groundbreaking success that transformed both the bedding industry and Carthage.
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Beyond business, Platt was a respected civic leader. He served as the first head of the Board of Public Works when it formed in 1908 and remained in that role until his death in 1929.
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In 1926, Platt also co-founded the Platt-Porter Company, a wholesale grocery best known for roasting thousands of pounds of fresh coffee.
Cornelius Platt and George Porter operated a wholesale grocery and coffee roasting company known as the Platt-Porter Wholesale Grocery Company. In 1919, they announced their plans to expand their business by constructing a two-story building on the intersection of 6th and Main Street.
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The Platt-Porter Building was constructed in January 1920, with a remarkable completion time of just five months. Designed by local Carthage architect and Weekly Architecture Series regular Percy K. Simpson, the building was constructed using brick and concrete with trim made of Carthage Marble.
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The building was specially designed for Platt-Porter’s needs. For instance, the space between the first and second floors was 18 inches thick to support the heavy machinery used for roasting coffee and storing raw product. The roasting room, located on the south side of the second floor, had fire-resistant doors and was built with specialty fireproof-brick due to the important role of heat in coffee roasting.
By 1950, Platt-Porter had outgrown the building and decided to put it up for sale. At the same time, The Carthage Press, which had been looking to relocate from the Sewall Building at 121 West 4th Street, acquired the Platt-Porter Building. They started a renovation of the building, which unfortunately included its unique front entrance being covered up.
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The Platt-Porter Building served as the home of The Carthage Press until it moved in the early 2000s. Following The Carthage Press’ departure, the building saw very little use. Starting in late 2022, the Platt-Porter Building underwent an extensive renovation, which saw it converted into residential apartments.
​Credit: Brady Cloud, Weekly Architecture Series
Carthage Evening Press December 8, 1916
Carthage Evening Press March 31, 1926