From the Kansas Historical Resource Inventory:
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"Historic Name:
Original Kaw Valley State Bank
Alternate Name:
Old Kaw Valley State Bank
Historic Function:
Commerce/Trade
Subcategory:
Financial Institution
Historic Function Remarks:
Originally, the bank operated in the north part of the first floor, a general store was in the south, and the basement housed a barber shop in this 100,000 brick building (with water initially channeled by compressed air). It now has a unit to the east, two to the south (701 1/2, 702), and a private residence upstairs that was originally the Lothholz Opera House (also known as Lothholz Hall or Opry House that operated until the 1930s). The opera hall, lit with acetylene gas lights as the rest of the building, had an 8-foot by 30-foot stage with 300 seating capacity. Its motto was: Protum Transimus Oceanus Prae Nos Patet ( We have crossed the bay, the ocean lies before us. ) Later, the space housed professional offices, e.g., those of J.G. Lee, physician, and J. H. Duffy, dentist, in 1915 and dentist L.C. Cox in 1925, and even classrooms in 1918 when the new high school didn't open on time. Before the bank was built, an unsightly frame building that extended into the alley here housed the Eudora Elevator Company office (1892), John Hagenbuch notary public service, (1892-?), and Schubert furniture store (1881 to around 1890) and earlier, Christian Fischer operated a tin shop and furniture store here a few years until 1881. Slightly east was Schubert and Meineke Coal Company, and, in 1889, Kraus & Abels bought the coal business of P.D. Meineke after his death.
Present Function:
Commerce/Trade
Present Function Remarks:
In recent years, the former bank area, which still contains the original vault, has housed Madame Hatter's Tea Room (2002-2009), Westminister Tea Room (2001- 2002), Traditions furniture store (1999-2002), three video stores (circa1996-1998), dental clinic, Community Baptist Church, [Delmar Alpers'] The Key restaurant (1970s), and Keith Murphy's] Gilded Cage tavern (1961-1966). The basement housed other businesses, e.g., Fred Ziesenis, Jr. shoe shop (1942-1946), Groves Café (1918-1919), George Fullers' pool hall and barber shop (circa 1908), and Tarleton & Smith billiard hall (circa 1903). Northeast section of 700: Currently not used as a store area, it used to house Diana Breithaupt beauty salon (1990-1996), ice cream parlor (circa 1980s), [Helen Everley's] antique store (1980s), and a grocery (early 1900s). 700 1/2: Entrance to residence. 702/704: This area has been used by Curves, a fitness franchise (2006-2008); HomeTown Dollar general store (2004-2005); Custom Frame Cart framing service (2003); Broers flower shop (1983-2001); Starlight Tavern (1970s); post office (1920s-1962); confectionary (circa 1912); Joseph Schopper's shooting gallery first door south of Kaw Valley bank (1911); and E.L. Cooper watchmaking ship (circa 1909).
Residential/Commercial/Religious Style:
Richardsonian Romanesque/Romanesque Revival
Physical Description/Remarks:
Originally built to be a bank (lower floor) and opera house (second floor), this building has a recessed door to the upstairs south of the original building and store area to south facing the main sidewalk with a recessed door flanked by display windows on either side. Above the building's arched door with two simple columns and accessed by four steps is a pediment with decorative scales forming a narrow front panel detailed with a contrasting alternate golden brick- red brick vertical pattern. An arch decorative with lower dentils rests at the front panel's topmost location. Arched windows on the front, first-story sides are bricked in at the building rear. Eight, double-hung, second-story windows are on either side of the front panel with its own identical window above the main door. Windows on both stories have a rough stone sill. The façade's second-story windows have 36-square checkerboard decorative units separating them from the building top. Side walls slightly extend above the flat roof with three chimney-type projections on the north, one on the south.
Plan Form:
Rectangle
Commercial Building Type:
Two-Part Commercial Block
Roof Form:
Flat with Parapet
Stories:
2
Condition:
Good
Principal Material:
Brick
Year of Construction:
1896
Certainty:
Documented
Date Notes:
Source: Bank anniversery booklet, news articles
General Remarks:
Charles Lothholz was responsible for construction of building. Lothholz put a foundation in on this site in early 1896 for his bank that encompasses the southeast corner of Seventh and Main Street, but didn't start constructing his red-pressed brick Kaw Valley State Bank building with buff colored water table midway until 18 months later. The upstairs has been used as a residence since 1980, according to real estate advertisements, and probably earlier. It has a rear entrance and deck."
Text of historic marker:
700 MAIN STREET
Completed in 1897, Charles Lothholz was
responsible for construction of this
building. The original businesses at this
location included the Kaw Valley State
Bank, a general store and a barber shop.
The second story with a 250-seating
capacity was known as the Lothholz Opera
House and used for performances and
events. The building was also home to the
post office, restaurants, medical offices
and furniture stores.