Chemung Canal Bank Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chemung Canal Bank Building
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Chemung Canal Bank Building, October 2009
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 415 E. Water St., Elmira, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1833 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001844 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1978 |
The Chemung Canal Bank Building is a very old and important building in Elmira, Chemung County, New York. It's located at 415 East Water Street. Many people believe it's the oldest business building in Elmira.
Construction on this building started in 1832. This was the same year the Chemung Canal opened. In 1833, the bank moved into its new home. The Chemung Canal Trust Company was created to handle money and provide loans. The bank stayed in this building for 76 years. After that, different law offices used the building for 56 years. Since 1976, the Chemung County Historical Society has owned it. The building is special because of its old architecture and its role in local history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Contents
What Was the Building Used For?
The Chemung Canal Bank Building officially started its banking business in October 1833. The Chemung Canal Trust Company owned and ran the bank. They used the building until 1920. That's when they moved to a new place.
After the bank moved, the Arnot Realty Company bought the building. It was also home to several law offices. These included the Sayles, Evans, Brayton, Palmer, and Tifft Law Firm. In the early 1980s, the Chemung County Historical Society bought the building. They still own and manage it today.
A Museum and Research Center Today
The first floor of the building is now a history museum. It's called The Chemung Valley History Museum. This is the biggest history museum in the area. The second floor has the Booth Library. This library is a research center and archive. It is open to the public. The third floor is used to store historical collections.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The Chemung Canal Bank Building has a mix of two old styles. These are Greek revival and Traditional Federal styling. It was built with bricks. Most buildings from that time were made of wood. The bank building also had special stepped gables.
The building had a stone stoop at the entrance. It also featured a fancy wrought iron railing. Inside, there was a large main hall. There were one or two rooms on each side of the hall. A big staircase led upstairs. The second floor was planned as an apartment for the bank manager.
Changes Over the Years
The building was built on a stone basement. This basement was separate from the vaults. These vaults were on the east and west sides. The gas company offices used the west side vaults.
In 1868, the bank building was updated. A third floor was added. This floor was used as apartments that could be rented out. In 1903, the Pierce and Bickford architectural firm made more changes. They added two more vaults to store books and money. They also put in mahogany counters and terrazzo flooring. New restrooms and special coupon booths were added. A new ventilation system was installed. This system included heating for winter and a fan for summer.
In 1993, the Chemung County Historical Society renovated the building. They worked to restore it to its original look. Many of the building's first features are still there today.
More Information
- Chemung County Historical Society
- Chemung County Historical Society, "Chemung Canal Bank Building", (pamphlet copyright CCHS 1989), Elmira NY.
