Poughkeepsie Trust Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Poughkeepsie Trust Company
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Front elevation and west profile, 2008
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| Location | Poughkeepsie |
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| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | Percival Lloyd |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001159 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
The Poughkeepsie Trust Company building is a historic building in Poughkeepsie, a city in New York State. It stands on Main Street, right next to the Dutchess County Court House. This building has a rich history and unique design features.
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Building a Landmark: Poughkeepsie Trust Company
The Poughkeepsie Trust Company building was designed by a local architect named Percival Lloyd. It was the second bank building on this spot. When it was finished in 1906, it was considered the first modern skyscraper in the Hudson Valley. It stood six stories tall!
The building cost about $100,000 to build. It featured a beautifully carved stone front, called a facade. Inside, the building was built with strong materials like brick, steel, and stone.
Inside the Bank: Special Features
The ground floor of the bank had a grand banking room. It was decorated with marble, which is a very fancy type of stone. The room also had original mahogany wood furniture, shiny brass fittings, and bronze lights.
One interesting feature was a special "ladies' corridor." This was a separate hallway near the women's restroom. It allowed women to go to and from the restroom without having to use the main hallway. The upper floors of the building could be reached by an elevator. At that time, elevators were still a new and exciting technology!
Beaux-Arts Style: A Closer Look
The building's design is in the Beaux Arts style. This style is known for being grand and decorative. The front of the building has three main sections, called bays.
At the very top, you can see masks and decorative patterns. Below that, there are leafy designs. These patterns continue down the building's stories. You can also see decorative columns, called pilasters, on the sides. The ground floor has a detailed wrought-iron gate on the main door. It also features decorative Doric columns, which are a classic style of column. On the sides of the building, a red and yellow brick diamond pattern runs along the fifth story.
History of the Building
The Poughkeepsie Trust Company building officially opened its doors in 1906. One of its first important tenants was the New York City Water Supply Commission. This commission was looking for new water sources for the growing city of New York.
They rented the entire fifth floor and half of the fourth floor. From this building, they planned and oversaw the purchase of land and the construction of the Catskill Aqueduct. This aqueduct is a huge system that brings water to New York City.
Over time, the bank moved out of the building. It later became part of the Bank of New York. The county government, Dutchess County, then took over the building. They connected it to the nearby courthouse, which had been built a few years earlier.
In 1982, the Poughkeepsie Trust Company building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites in the United States. Today, the building serves as the main office for the district attorney's office in Dutchess County.
