HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-02815_202 E Washington_1stNatlBankSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-02815 New Supplemental
State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)
(December 1, 1999) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing
Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE
9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number
Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property
historic name First National Bank
other names/site number
2. Location
street & number 202 E. Washington Street
city or town Iowa City vicinity, county Johnson
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision Original Town Block(s) 66 Lot(s) see full legal
3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property
building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of:
district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing
site
buildings 3 1 buildings
structure
sites
sites
object
structures
structures
objects
objects
Total 3 1 Total
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number
Iowa City Central Business District Study - 2017 UPDATE 52-127
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
02D02 COMMERCE/TRADE/financial institution/bank 02D02 COMMERCE/TRADE/financial institution/bank
02E COMMERCE/TRADE/specialty store
01B DOMESTIC/multiple dwelling (upper floor)
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
06C LATE 19th & 20th CENTURY REVIVALS/Classical foundation 04 STONE
Revival and 08 MODERN MOVEMENT walls 04C STONE/limestone; 03 BRICK
05G LATE VICTORIAN/Romanesque roof
05B LATE VICTORIAN/Italianate other
Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria)
Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events.
Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons.
Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics.
Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
County Johnson Address 202 E. Washington Street Site Number 52-02815
City Iowa City District Number
Criteria Considerations
A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
for religious purposes. F A commemorative property.
B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past
C A birthplace or grave. 50 years.
D A cemetery
Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates
Construction date
05 COMMERCE 1911 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
ca.1880, ca.1990
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
Hanson Lind Meyer, Iowa City - addition Builder
Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
UTM References (OPTIONAL)
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
1
2
3
4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments
11. Form Prepared By
name/title Alexa McDowell, Architectural Historian
organization AKAY Consulting date 10/2017
street & number 4252 Oakland Avenue telephone 515-491-5432
city or town Minneapolis state MN zip code 55407
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site:
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries.
Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended
This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
This property includes four separate structures built and remodeled over a 120-year period with all of the space
now included as bank and offices for a single financial institution. A description of the three oldest buildings
appears below with a summary paragraph describing the newest addition. The primary building in this collection
is the historic First National Bank, constructed prior to 1888 and fully remodeled in 1911. To that core building
has been added a pair of 19th century commercial buildings fronting S. Dubuque Street (20-22 and 24-26) and a
contemporary addition on the east (210-214).
The original bank building at the northeast corner of Washington and Dubuque streets – 202-208 E. Washington
Street (including 28 South Dubuque Street) – was a two-story brick building with an ornate cornice and included
two storefronts that opened onto S. Dubuque Street. In 1911 the building was remodeled in the Classical Revival
Style and reoriented to face Washington Street. The Classical Revival Style was frequently favored for banks
during the period as they sought to evoke a sense of strength and permanence. The brick building was clad in
Bedford limestone, the popular stone used on a number of new buildings constructed by the State University of
Iowa on the Pentacrest beginning at the turn-of-the-20th century and for two other important civic buildings
located along S. Linn Street a block east of the bank – the new Public Library (1903) and the new Post Office
(1904).
Image 01. Historic Image: First National Bank – ca.1906
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
The new Classical Revival design for the bank included a new symmetrical treatment for the south façade with
horizontal bands of stone on the first floor and smooth faced stone on the upper level. A plain stone beltcourse
extended around the building. The new entrance, which remains largely intact today, was centered on the south
side and projected forward from the building front slightly. A pair of stone columns was inset in the rectangular
opening supporting a stone architrave that contained a carved stone name block for the bank. A low cut-stone
balustrade was positioned above the beltcourse with large urns positioned at the corners. Narrow 1/1 double-hung
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
windows were evenly spaced on the upper floor along both Washington and Dubuque streets. Windows on the
lower level originally included a combination of Chicago windows – large square openings with wide sash
flanked by narrow double-hung sash all set beneath similarly divided transoms – or single 1/1 double-hung
windows with transom. Replacement windows now match those described for 20-22 and 24-26 below.
Image 02. Historic Image: First National Bank - 1920
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
The remodeled 1911 bank building was originally topped by a plain stone cornice set above several bands of
corbeled stone. This design was modified during the 1950s when the main bank building was expanded to
incorporate another building front to the north - 28 S. Dubuque Street. This building section was similar to 24-26
S. Dubuque Street prior to remodeling. After the remodeling, it contained stone cladding with matching window
openings on both levels. A new cornice was installed giving added height to the bank building and extending a
course of stone modillions around the entire building.
Fire insurance maps show 20-22 S. Dubuque Street constructed sometime between 1879 and 1883. The double
wide two-story brick building had two storefronts facing onto S. Dubuque Street. The building’s design was a mix
of the Romanesque and Italianate styles. The cornice has paneled sections between the widely spaced brackets.
The second floor windows have semi-circular or round topped brick arches with stone keystones. The windows
contained 2/1 double-hung sash until the 1980s and now have replacement 1/1 sash. The walls are clad in painted
brick on the upper level with blocks of stone scattered randomly along the surfaces. The lower level is separated
from the second floor by a continuous stone molding that is tied into the other building sections to the south. The
first floor is clad in Bedford limestone to match the main bank building. The stone is laid in horizontal bands.
The openings contain three plate glass windows with tinted black glass and an entrance opening with similar glass
in the door and sidelights. Two windows contain three vertical lights beneath a horizontal transom and a third
window contains one vertical light with a transom section. City assessor records give an original construction date
for 20-22 as 1870 (about a decade too early) and note that 22 S. Dubuque experienced a fire in 1933. A
remodeling occurred the following year. The most recent remodeling pre-dates 1981.
Fire insurance maps show 24-26 S. Dubuque Street constructed sometime between 1879 and 1883. The double
wide, two-story brick building had two storefronts facing onto S. Dubuque Street. The building’s design was a
commercial form of the Italianate Style. The metal cornice has a series of small adjoining brackets set between
larger brackets in the middle and at each end. The second floor windows have flat tops with decorative metal
hoods and stone sills. The original windows likely had multi-light configurations but the current sash are 1/1
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
tinted sash. The walls are clad in painted brick on the upper level with the lower level separated from the second
floor by a continuous stone molding that is tied into the other building sections to the north and south. The first
floor is clad in Bedford limestone to match the main bank building. The stone is laid in horizontal bands with the
only opening a 24-hour automatic teller machine located at the south end of this section of the building beneath a
fixed canopy. The most recent remodeling pre-dates 1981 (Svendsen, 2001).
Image 03. Historic Image: First National Bank - 1920
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
Although of a poor quality, this image documents the historic autonomy of 20-22 and 24-26 S. Dubuque prior to their
integration into the First National Bank building. Although the upper stories retain some of their design details today, the use
of a monochromatic paint scheme and the addition of Bedford limestone across the first floors creates a sense of non-historic
unity with the First National Bank building.
The final section of the bank complex is 210-214 E. Washington Street. This addition was newly constructed in
the early 1990s replacing two buildings that previously stood on the site. The original metal clad building on the
site constructed in 1882 was remodeled to hold the Garden Theater before World War I. It was replaced by the
Varsity Theatre, later known as the Astro Theatre (214), in ca.1947. It was a notable piece of cinema architecture
that was razed to build the bank addition in the early 1990s. The other building (210) lost its original metal front
during a substantial remodeling completed in 1948. It too was razed to accommodate the bank addition, which is
connected to 1911 bank by narrow black glass connecting walls. Like the other component sections of the bank,
the new addition is clad in Bedford limestone set in bands similar to but not identical to the 1911 bank design.
The new addition has an asymmetrical façade with windows and doors grouped on the east side. The windows on
the lower level are four sash stacked in vertical columns with division points at the point where the stone bands
divide. Upper level windows have three sash configured in a similar fashion. Architect for the bank addition was
Hanson Lind Meyer of Iowa City (Svendsen, 2001).
In 2017 the bank complex stands with no significant alteration from the previous description. US Bank is the
current occupant.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 04. View of the west elevation, looking northeast across S. Dubuque from E. Washington Street
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Image 04. View of the south elevation, looking north across E. Washington Street
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
8. Statement of Significance
This complex of buildings represents an unusual combination of commercial buildings built and remodeled for
use as a bank. The principal block is a moderately well-preserved example of the Classical Revival Style. Two
other building sections retain elements of the commercial Italianate and Romanesque styles. A fourth section
consists of a modern addition. Because, in their current form, the buildings function as a single business under the
same ownership with the interior functionally united and the exterior visually united, they are considered a single
property comprised of four resources. As a unit, the property is not individually eligible for listing on the National
Register of Historic Places. However, the property is counted as a contributing resource to a potential historic
district in association with the history of Iowa City commerce.
Historical Background
As originally laid out, Dubuque Street was a major north-south street entering the central business district from
the north. Orientation of three buildings within this complex towards Dubuque Street rather than Washington
Street confirms the street’s importance. However, this fact was in conflict with the configuration of lots in the east
half of Block 80, which were oriented towards Washington Street. The strong pull of the Dubuque Street corridor
won out, with buildings erected on lots reconfigured for east-west orientations. The component building sections
in the collection of buildings that now comprise the bank can be approximately dated as follows: 20-22 and 24-
26-28 S. Dubuque Street were built sometime between 1879 and 1883; 202-208 E. Washington Street built
sometime prior to 1888 and remodeled in 1911; and 210-214 E. Washington Street during the early 1990s
(Svendsen, 2001).
Fire insurance maps and city directories show the buildings held a variety of businesses that changed frequently
through the years. City directory listings appear in Italics when they are available.
1883: 20-22 S. Dubuque Street – clothing store; school on 2nd floor
24 S. Dubuque Street - furniture store – William Hohenschuh, furniture & undertaking
26 S. Dubuque Street - liquor warehouse
28 S. Dubuque Street - shoemaker – Jacob Kramer, boots & shoes
30 S. Dubuque Street - grocery - George Hummer, grocer (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
32 S. Dubuque Street - clothing store (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
210 E. Washington Street - restaurant
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop– Maresh & Holubar, stoves & tinware; State Historical
Society, 2nd floor
1888: 20 S. Dubuque Street – flour and feed store (one of three on east side of Dubuque between Iowa &
Washington)
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store
24 S. Dubuque Street - furniture store
26 S. Dubuque Street - vacant
28 S. Dubuque Street - shoemaker
30 S. Dubuque Street - grocery (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
32 S. Dubuque Street - bank - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and First National Bank (part of 202-208
E. Washington)
210 E. Washington Street – furniture, cabinet shop
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop– Maresh & Holubar, stoves & tinware; State Historical
Society, 2nd floor
1892: 20 S. Dubuque Street – furniture store – W.P. Hohenschuh Furniture & Undertaking
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store– Sueppel’s Grocery Store
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
24 S. Dubuque Street - furniture store – Robert Lorenz Furniture Store
26 S. Dubuque Street - drygoods store – C.E. Williams Dry Goods
28 S. Dubuque Street - boots and shoes – Jacob Kramer
30 S. Dubuque Street - grocery – Landsberg & Co. (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
32 S. Dubuque Street - bank (part of 202-208 E. Washington) - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and
First National Bank; telegraph office at #208 East Washington Street
210 E. Washington Street – vacant – Schneider Brothers Furniture & Undertaking
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop – Maresh & Holubar, stoves & tinware; State Historical
Society, 2nd floor
1899: 20 S. Dubuque Street – furniture store - W.P. Hohenschuh Furniture & Undertaking
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store – Sueppel’s Grocery Store
24 S. Dubuque Street - plumber – Peter Greazel, plumber and steamfitter
26 S. Dubuque Street - restaurant – Bon Ton Restaurant
28 S. Dubuque Street - boots and shoes – Jacob Kramer
30 S. Dubuque Street - grocery – Henry Sporleder Grocery Store (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
32 S. Dubuque Street - bank – - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and First National Bank (part of #202-
208 E. Washington)
210 E. Washington Street – telephone exchange – Iowa Telephone Co. (Bell) & Johnson County
Telephone Co.; U.S. Express Co.
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop– Maresh & Holubar, stoves & tinware; State Historical
Society, 2nd floor
1906: 20 S. Dubuque Street – furniture store - W.P. Hohenschuh Furniture & Undertaking
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store – C. Sueppel’s Grocery Store
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - hardware – Smith & Cilek Hardware; cigar factory, 2nd floor
28 S. Dubuque Street - boots and shoes – Jacob Kramer
30 S. Dubuque Street - vacant (part of 202-208 E. Washington)
32 S. Dubuque Street - bank - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and First National Bank (part of #202-208
E. Washington)
210 E. Washington Street – telephone exchange; U.S. Express Co
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop– Maresh & Holubar, stoves & tinware; furniture
warehouse, 2nd floor
1912: 20 S. Dubuque Street – furniture store
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - clothing – Slavata & Eppel Clothing Store; club rooms, 2nd floor
28 S. Dubuque Street - cigars – John Racine’s Cigars
202-208 E. Washington Street – bank - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and First National Bank
210 E. Washington Street – telephone exchange; U.S. Express Co
212-214 E. Washington Street – stoves, tin shop; furniture warehouse, 2nd floor
1920: 20 S. Dubuque Street – furniture store
22 S. Dubuque Street – grocery store
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - clothing; club rooms, 2nd floor
202-208 E. Washington Street – bank - Farmers Loan & Trust Co. and First National Bank
210 E. Washington Street – millinery – both Dove Sister’s Millinery and Hessler & Zimmerman’s
Millinery
214 E. Washington Street – moving pictures
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 7
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
1926: 20 S. Dubuque Street – store
22 S. Dubuque Street – store
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - store
202-208 E. Washington Street – bank - First National Bank
210-212 E. Washington Street – stores
214 E. Washington Street – moving pictures
1933: 20 S. Dubuque Street – store – Ruppert & Seeman Furniture Store
22 S. Dubuque Street – ruins from fire
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - store
202-208 E. Washington Street - bank - First National Bank
210-212 E. Washington Street – stores
214 E. Washington Street – moving pictures
1970: 20-22 S. Dubuque Street – store
24-26 S. Dubuque Street - store
202-208 E. Washington Street – bank - First National Bank
210-212 E. Washington Street – bank “ “ “
214 E. Washington Street – moving pictures
The principal occupant of this collection of buildings through the years was the First National Bank. Organized in
1863 and formally opening on July 13th of that year, the First National Bank had a federal charter. It was headed
by W.B. Daniels, president; John Doggett, vice-president; and W.H. Hubbard, cashier. Peter Dey served as
president from 1869 until 1878 and again from 1895 until he died in 1911. Its affiliate was the Farmers’ Loan and
Trust Company that had been organized as a state savings bank in 1882. This bank was founded by some of the
principals of the First National Bank including Dey, Lyman Parsons, D.W.C. Clapp, G.W. Marquardt, J.T.
Turner, D.F. Stone, and E. Bradway. By the late 1880s both banks operated from the building at the northeast
corner of Dubuque and Washington streets with William J. McChesney as president of both. The bank crisis of
the 1930s saw both banks close their doors. They were among five local banks to cease operations during 1931
and 1932. The First National Bank was the last to close on January 20, 1932. Just two months later 75 local
residents formed a new bank – First Capitol State Bank locating in the building at the southeast corner of Clinton
and College streets. In March 1933 the receiver for the First National Bank transferred the closed bank’s building
to the First Capitol State Bank where it resumed operations. First Capitol State became First Capitol National
Bank in early 1933 and by year’s end was reconstituted as the First National Bank. It continued to operate under
this bank charter until the 1990s when a series of sales and merges saw it first become a branch of the Mercantile
Bank and by 2000 part of the First Bank holding company (Svendsen, 2001).
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 8
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
9. Major Bibliographic References (2001)
Iowa City city directories.
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor’s Office.
Tax Assessor’s Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
Summary Sheets, 202-204 and 214 East Washington, Urban Revitalization Act Study Area Survey, 1981.
Sanborn maps, 1874, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912, 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970.
Ellis, Edwin Charles, “Certain Stylistic Trends in Architecture in Iowa City,” MA Thesis, Depart of Art, State
University of Iowa, June 1947, pp. 157-159.
“History of Iowa City’s Financial Growth Shows Safe and Sane Development of Banks.” Iowa City Press-
Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa, December 2, 1929, p. 4.
Weber, Irving. Irving Weber's Iowa City - Volume 1. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa City Lions Club, 1976, pp. 111-113.
2017: References
State Historical Society of Iowa. Iowa City. Photograph Collection.
Slonneger, Marybeth. Finials: A View of Downtown Iowa City. Iowa City: Hand Press, 2015.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “Survey and Evaluation of the Central Business District.” Prepared for the Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission, 2001.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “First National Bank: 52-02815.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02815
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 9
First National Bank Johnson
Name of Property County
202 E. Washington Street Iowa City
Address City
11. Additional Documentation
Legal Description: Original Town Plat, Block 66, West 60’ of Lot 3 and all of Lot 4.
Assessor: 002+1010312015
Latitude/Longitude: 41.660655/-91.532935
Parcel Map - 2017
LINN202-214
24-26
20-22
14
DUBUQUEWASHINGTON
IOWA
2577211213
21624510
6 2191312
2202
214
218±