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Charter Oak Bank Building facts for kids

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Charter Oak Bank Building
114 Asylum Street, Hartford CT.jpg
Charter Oak Bank Building is located in Connecticut
Charter Oak Bank Building
Location in Connecticut
Charter Oak Bank Building is located in the United States
Charter Oak Bank Building
Location in the United States
Location 114-124 Asylum St., Hartford, Connecticut
Area less than one acre
Built 1861 (1861)
Architectural style Italianate
NRHP reference No. 78002873
Added to NRHP October 11, 1978

The Charter Oak Bank Building is a very old and important building in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. It's located at 114-124 Asylum Street. This building was finished in 1861. It's special because it's the only building left in Hartford that shows the "Italianate" style of business architecture from the mid-1800s. Because of its history and unique style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

What Does It Look Like?

The Charter Oak Bank Building stands at the corner of Trumbull and Asylum Streets in downtown Hartford. It's a four-story building made of strong stone, called brownstone. The walls are very thick and hold up the building.

The roof is flat and has a fancy decorated edge called a cornice. This cornice has small blocks and brackets that make it look very detailed. One corner of the building is rounded, which is a cool design feature.

Building Details

The first floor of the building has shops. These shops have designs that look like old Italian buildings. The windows on each floor have different fancy tops.

  • Windows on the second floor have rounded tops with decorative brackets.
  • Windows on the third floor have pointed tops, like a small roof.
  • Windows on the fourth floor have flat tops.

History of the Building

The Charter Oak Bank was started in 1853. It first had offices on Main and Pratt Street. In 1860, the bank bought the land where the building now stands. Before that, a church was on the spot. The church was taken down, and the new bank building was finished in 1861.

Where Did the Stone Come From?

The brownstone used to build the bank probably came from the Portland Brownstone Quarries. These quarries are in Portland, Connecticut. They were famous for their beautiful brown stone.

Bank Ownership Changes

The Charter Oak Bank used the building until 1915. However, they sold the building in 1865, even though they kept their offices there. In 1915, the Charter Oak Bank joined with another bank called Phoenix National Bank.

Later, in 1915, a bank called City Bank bought the building. City Bank had been around since 1851. Sadly, City Bank closed down in 1932. This happened during a very tough time called the Great Depression, when many businesses struggled. Since then, the building has had different owners. It got a big makeover in 1976 to make it look new again.

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