Old Bank of Louisville facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Southern National Bank
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Old Bank of Louisville Building in 1987
Location in Kentucky Show map of Kentucky Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	316 W. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky
Built	1837 (1837)
Architect	Dakin, James H.
Architectural style	Greek Revival
NRHP reference No.	71000349
Added to NRHP	August 12, 1971

The Old Bank of Louisville, also known as the Southern National Bank building, is a really old and important building in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was finished in 1837 and is famous for its beautiful Greek Revival architecture, which is a style inspired by ancient Greek buildings. Because it's so special, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971. Today, it's used as the main entrance for the Actors Theatre of Louisville, a theater right next door.

Discovering the Old Bank of Louisville

This historic building is located in downtown Louisville, on the south side of West Main Street. You can find it between 3rd and 4th Streets. Even though it's on a narrow piece of land, its front looks very grand.

What Makes Its Design Special?

The front of the building has two tall, grooved stone columns. These columns have special tops called Ionic capitals, which are shaped like scrolls. They stand under a decorative band and an iron fence-like top. The sides of the building, next to the columns, are also made of limestone, but they have a rougher finish.

Behind these columns, the building has three sections with tall windows. The main entrance is in the middle, with windows on either side and above it. Inside, you can still see some of the original design, including more Ionic columns and a cool domed ceiling.

Who Built This Amazing Place?

The Old Bank of Louisville was likely finished in 1837 for the Bank of Louisville. This bank had started a few years earlier, in 1832.

It's believed that James Dakin, a talented architect, designed the building. He had worked with another famous architect named Minard Lafever. Some parts of the bank's design look like pictures from Lafever's book, The Beauties of Modern Architecture, which came out in 1835. For a long time, people thought Gideon Shryock designed it, but it seems he was actually in charge of making sure the building was constructed properly.

After being a bank for many years, the building found a new purpose in the 1970s. It was changed to become the lobby for the theater next door, giving visitors a grand entrance to shows.