Banking in Historic Buildings
March 14, 2013 8:00 AM
Banks have been pillars of their communities and pillars of local architecture throughout American history. Several institutions today operate out of digs that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Here's a look at some of the most notable and elegant examples, starting with Bank of the West, which occupies the First National Bank building in Portland, Ore. (Image: Wikipedia)
Gold Standard
The home of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33 Liberty Street, allegedly holds a quarter of the world's known gold reserves in an underground vault at the 1920s building. (Image: Bloomberg News)
Jewel Box
The Peoples Federal Savings and Loan building in Sidney, Ohio, has been occupied by the same bank since opening in 1917. It is one of several "jewel box" bank buildings in the Midwest designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. (Image: Bluffton University)
House of the Rising Sun
The First National Bank building was the first skyscraper in Albuquerque, N.M. Capitol Bancorp in Lansing, Mich., has agreed to sell Sunrise Bank , which operates on the building's ground floor, to Weststar Bancorp. (Image: Wikipedia)
Key to Cleveland
The Society for Savings building, built in 1890, is part of KeyCorp's headquarters in downtown Cleveland. It is attached to Key Tower, the state's tallest building. (Image: Wikipedia)
Lions' Gate
Dollar Bank's headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh opened in 1871 and is built of brownstone and granite. Two lions guard the entrance. (Image: Dollar Bank)
Hoosier History
The Bozeman-Waters National Bank building in Poseyville, Ind., was built in 1924. Fifth Third occupies the building. (Image: Library of Congress)
Sordid Past
Riggs Bank operated out of this 1902 Washington building until its sale to PNC Financial in 2005. Riggs was forced to sell after regulators uncovered a money-laundering scheme . (Image: Library of Congress)
Farmers' Jewels
The first "jewel box" bank designed by Louis Sullivan serves as a Wells Fargo branch in Owatonna, Minn. National Farmers' Bank opened in 1908. (Image: Wikipedia)
Trusting Bank
The Wilmington Trust building in Newark, Del., was built in 1926 by the Farmers' Trust Co. M&T Bank owns the property. (Image: Wikipedia)
Wells Fargo's Inheritance
The American Commercial and Savings Bank building in Davenport, Iowa, is known locally as the Wells Fargo Bank building. Wells Fargo took over the tower when it merged with Norwest Bank in 1998. (Image: Wikipedia)
Hostel Takeover
HSBC Bank recently vacated the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building in Brooklyn, N.Y. It was bought in 2010 by New York Loft Hostel, which plans to use it as an event space and a small museum. (Image: Wikipedia)
