Commercial Bank and Banker's House facts for kids
|
Commercial Bank and Banker's House
|
|
Front of the Commercial Bank
|
|
 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 206 Main Street and 107 South Canal Street, Natchez, Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Built | 1838 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74002252 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | May 30, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
The Commercial Bank and Banker's House is a special building in Natchez, Mississippi. It's unique because it was built to hold both a bank and the home of the main banker. This building was finished in 1833. It's a great example of Greek Revival architecture, which was a popular style back then.
In 1974, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States. Today, the bank part of the building is empty. The house part is still a private home. Both parts of the building use lots of carved limestone. The walls are 20 inches thick brick, made to look like big stone blocks.
Contents
What Makes This Building Special?
The Commercial Bank and Banker's House is actually one big building. It sits on what are now two separate pieces of land. The bank part faces Main Street. The house part faces South Canal Street, with a front yard.
The Bank's Design
The bank section is a tall, single-story building. Its front is made of polished marble. The side walls of both the bank and the house are covered in stuccoed brick. The bank's front looks like a Greek temple. It has four tall columns that support a fancy top part and a triangular roof section. Stairs lead up to the main entrance.
The House's Design
The house part has five sections across its front. The main door is in the middle. It has a simpler porch with two columns. Above the porch, there's a pretty iron railing. Inside the house, you can see amazing hand-carved designs around the doors and windows. The baseboards are very tall, about 28 inches high. The rooms are also very large for a house built at that time.
History of the Building
The Commercial Bank started in 1833. This special building was built soon after. It was designed to keep the bank and the banker's home together for safety. Levin R. Marshall helped start the bank. He was the president for many years. People say he built this impressive house for himself and his family to use in town. An interesting detail is that the house has Italian marble fireplaces. This was unusual because most homes back then used wood fireplaces, especially in less public areas.
Over the years, the bank part of the building has been used for different things. In the 1970s, it was a Christian Science center. Now, it is empty. The house part is still a private home. In the past, it was also a girls' school and a boarding house. The house was fully updated in 2021 and 2022.
-
Historic plaque on front of bank, 206 Main Street
-
Banker's House, 107 Canal Street, front, HABS photo 1972
See also
