First Farmers & Merchants Bank - Columbia, TN

High St. Branch

Farmers and Merchants Bank - Ethridge, TN

This old bank building in the small Lawrence County town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Nov. 2017. Here is the description from the Tennessee Historic Commission:

The one-story brick building in the heart of Ethridge was built in 1927 after an earlier bank building burned. Many banks in the early 20th century were designed in the Classical Revival style, which was thought to convey security and stability to a community. The restrained detailing, seen in the brick and stone window details on the façade of the Ethridge bank, copies the more elaborate Classical Revival style seen in larger communities.

First National Bank at dusk - Dickson, TN

Farmers and Merchants Bank - Ethridge, TN

This old bank building in the small Lawrence County town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Nov. 2017. Here is the description from the Tennessee Historic Commission:

The one-story brick building in the heart of Ethridge was built in 1927 after an earlier bank building burned. Many banks in the early 20th century were designed in the Classical Revival style, which was thought to convey security and stability to a community. The restrained detailing, seen in the brick and stone window details on the façade of the Ethridge bank, copies the more elaborate Classical Revival style seen in larger communities.

Old State Bank Building - Decatur, AL

From wikipedia:
The Old State Bank is a historic Jeffersonian-style bank building in Decatur, AL. It was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1934 and 1935. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1972, due to its architectural significance.

The Decatur branch of the Alabama State Bank opened its doors on July 29, 1833. It was authorized by the Alabama General Assembly in 1830 to be one of three branches of the Alabama State Bank. After outstanding debts of over $1 million were unable to be reformed the Decatur branch franchise was revoked. The building remained vacant until the 1860s when it was one of three buildings that survived the Civil War in Decatur. During the Battle of Decatur, the bank was used as headquarters for the Union forces in the area, and was also used as a hospital while battles raged outside. Such evidence of the battle remains in the form of visible bloodstains in one of the three vaults, slugs from musketfire, and Minie balls are still clearly seen in the walls of the building.

In 1881, the First National Bank opened its doors in the Old State Bank building. But, when First National Bank completed its new office in 1902, the bank building was used as a residence and office by Dr. J.Y. Cantwell. After signs of deterioration began to show themselves, Cantwell's grand niece, Mrs. W. B. Edmundson, deeded the building over to the City of Decatur in 1933. Management of the structure was vested to an eight member Board of Governors. The petition for restoration was presented to the Civil Works Administration and restoration commenced. Being one of only a handful of local buildings to survive the destruction of the American Civil War, and after going through the many changes over the years, the Old State Bank has become a symbol of historical significance.

By the year 1946, the building was deeded by its owner to the Morgan County American Legion, Post No. 15. At some point, the original bank building was completely obscured by a brick facade which also enclosed the front portico and columns. The appearance was simply a huge, ugly, brick warehouse and, by the early Seventies, the original history was long forgotten. As part of a plan to remove aging, blighted buildings, a demolition crew was contracted to tear down the old building with a wrecking ball. It was soon obvious that something unusual was present when the wrecking ball could tear right through the front wall at some places, but the heavy ball bounced off other spots. The invincible spots were found to be the five limestone columns hidden behind bricks for generations. (A few of the columns still carry wrecking ball scars.) The project to demolish the old, blighted warehouse quickly transformed into restoring this centerpiece of a newly formed historical district.

In 1972, the Old State Bank was named to the National Register of Historical Places at the age of 139 years. Three years later, in 1975, the American Legion, Post No.15, donated the Old State Bank building to the City of Decatur, AL. Plans for restoration were put together in the year 1976, as the bank turned 143 years old, and was put under the control of the Old Bank Board members. Restoration of the bank was finished in the year 1983, at the age of 150. In 1984, a curator was appointed, and daily tours were implemented. A second wave of detailed restoration was undertaken in the years of 1995-1996, and was led by noted preservation architect, Harvie Jones. Funding was provided by the Alabama Historical Commission, the City of Decatur, and the Old Bank Board of Directors. The City of Decatur commemorated the bank's 175th anniversary in 2008.

The architecture of the bank shows the influence of Thomas Jefferson's fusion of Palladianism with Roman temple forms. The five limestone columns across the front weigh 100-150 tons each and were mined in nearby Trinity. The pentastyle portico is highly unusual.

Bank of Centertown

This 1919 building was located at the big intersection in the tiny town of Centertown in western Warren County. TN287 is the north-south highway and US70S (formerly, TN1 and the Memphis-Bristol Highway) is the east-west route. On the side is a faded and/or painted over wall ad for a tree nursery - Warren County is known as climatically the best place in the country to grow trees. All that's left of the ad is "Specializing in White Pines"

Other than that, I can't find much info on the place. Googling it, I found where someone made an acrylic painting:
southernpleinairpainters.blogspot.com/2007/06/bank-of-cen...

Kingsport, TN Clinchfield Passenger Depot

The Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Passenger train station along with the adjacent freight depot were built in 1916. The building's design was a product of new York architect Clinton McKenzie. Access to the railroad instantly gave Kingsport the potential to become an industrial community. Even though passenger service stopped in 1954, the area remained busy thoroughfare. Today, the building is used as a bank.

Looking at Kingsport, I find it interesting how a planned community came to be, and what's changed over nearly 100 years. The city was laid out before construction of anything started. Main street connected this depot on one end and the 4 churches of Church Circle on the other end of the storefront lined street. The city hasn't aged well, but either end of the main street has retained it's significant architecture.

Bank of Bolivar

One of the oldest buildings in Bolivar, the Bank building dates back to the late 1800's. In 2007, a massive fire practically wiped out the whole southern block of the courthouse square.

My visit to town was 4 1/2 years after the fire. You can tell this building has some nice architectural detail to it, but also can see the fire damage as well. (The three windows on the side are busted and there's smoke damage above each. You may not be able to tell from this photo, but the roof is also missing. Still, this is the only building from the block still standing. Until the fire happened, there has been courthouse square beautification plans for the block, and I saw evidence of similar work along other sides of the square.)

Meigs County Bank - Decatur, TN

Located on the Decatur town square is the historic Meigs County Bank which dates to the early 1900s. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Forks of Cypress replica - Florence, AL

Yesterday, I posted the remains of the original Forks of Cypress. Thanks to the people of Regions Bank, we can get an idea what that mansion would have looked like. The replica is located in downtown Florence.

Bank of Kingsport

Today the bank building houses the Wray Law Firm. According to the city's historical marker for the Heritage Trail:

As the area began to develop, citizens began to realize that they needed a place to invest their money. As a result, the Bank of Kingsport was built in 1912. This financial institution was the first bank in the model city. It holds another place in Kingsport history because the bank was declared insolvent" during the Great Depression in 1929. The building was renovated in the late 1980's.

This bank was robbed 75 years ago today

The Linden Bank building was built in 1906 and after it was a bank, it also became an attorney's office, optometrist, dentist, Masonic lodge and a florist.

On July 11, 1937, Robert and Oliver Adkins robbed the bank. They stole $6,600, but they were apprehended soon after.

Old Southern Deposit Bank - Russellville, KY

Built in 1810, but most notably known as a bank robbed by the Jesse James Gang in 1868, which is now a major source of town pride in Russellville. Not too long ago, I was in an antique mall in Franklin and saw a framed art print of this place.

German Insurance Bank Building - Louisville, KY

The German Insurance Bank Building was built in Downtown Louisville in 1887. Today, the building is inhabited by Godsey Associates Architects who bought the building when it had been neglected for years and restored it to its current great condition.

It was designed in a Second Empire, Romanesque and Classical style by one of Louisville's noted German architects, Charles D. Meyer. It is rich in detail and made from Indiana Limestone. The clock tower was a popular local landmark and still lights up at night. The tower is square with a mansard roof. On each face of the roof is a clock. The roof is articulated by a cornice with brackets, and dentils. The tower has one window encased in stone.

At the Start of World War I, the bank was renamed the Liberty National Bank in 1918. Since then, it had been threatened with demolition more than once and at one time also housed the local United Way headquarters. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Farmer's Bank - Lynchburg

located on the Lynchburg town square. At the top is the date of 1921 and the name of Lem Motlow, who was Jak Daniel's nephew who ran the Distillery after Daniel's death. Motlow also opened the hardware store next door.