15 E Plaza - 1917 - Paris, TX
N 33° 39.657 W 095° 33.374
15S E 262973 N 3727496
Built right after the Great Paris Fire of 1916, the building at 15 W Plaza St began life in 1917 as the American National Bank, noted by a bronze City of Paris Historic District plaque on the front of the building.
Waymark Code: WM11F17
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/11/2019
Views: 1
The plaque itself has "City of Paris" and "Historic District" framing the Culbertson Fountain, a symbol of Paris's resilience and strength after the 1916 fire consumed so much of the downtown area.
This building is part of the Paris Commercial Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure. The National Register's Nomination Form refers to it as "the old Farmers
Bank," noting it as a contributor (as property #22) and capturing it in photo #55. It also provides a brief description:
A fine, diminutive, Beaux Arts bank built in 1917. In spite of some unfortunate changes, it helps define the historic character of the east side of the square.
The DowntownTX website (see below) is a great resource in providing some background to fill in the gaps. The bank building replaced whatever was there before the Great Fire of 1916, and these are some past occupants:
1917-36: American National Bank
1940-43: Empire Life Insurance Company
1944: The Collegiate Shoppe (women's clothing) / Empire Life Insurance Company
1946: Landon's Cafeteria / The Collegiate Shoppe / Empire Life Insurance Company
1948-49: United Hosiery & Underwear Co. / The Collegiate Shoppe / Empire Life Insurance Company
1951-54: Elmer O. Johnson (dominoes) / The Collegiate Shoppe / Empire Life Insurance Company
1957-60: The Collegiate Shoppe / Empire Life Insurance Company
1961-62: The Fashion (women's clothing) / Empire Life Insurance Company
1963-72: The Fashion
1973-99: Texas State Optical / Cecil D. Huneycutt (optometrist)
2000-current: Paris Optical Company
There are a few photos of the square in "Paris" in Arcadia's Images of America series (by Timothy G. Grammer with Jim Bell) where the old bank building is visible.