American State Bank - Geary, OK - Converted Bank Buildings on Waymarking.com

The Gillespie Building was constructed in 1903 by Ed Gillespie, a local saloon keeper, rest estate dealer and city councilman. Located on the SE corner of Main and Broadway, this is a two-story red brick building, with a partial basement.

Information taken from the National Register nomination form indicates that this part of downtown Geary has been commonly called "the bank corner" because three of the four buildings constructed here in the 1898-1903 period housed banks. The other two bank buildings are no longer extant. In February of 1903 the new Citizens' State Bank opened on the first floor of the new Gillespie Building. The Citizens' Bank was purchased by the Bank of Commerce in 1905; the operations of the two were consolidated in this building. At the end of the Territorial period (1907), Geary had two banks: the First National, in its own building diagonally across the intersecion, and the Bank of Commerce in this building. In 1911 the Bank of Commerce was absorbed by a new corporation, the American State Bank, who purchased the building and occupied it from 1918 through 1931, when they closed their doors and vacated the building. It later housed various commercial and retail businesses. Then, in 1984, the building was purchased by the Canadian River Historical Society and it currently houses a museum.

The interior still contains the original bank vault, the pressed metal ceiling and the wainscoting. The Canadian Rivers Historical Museum located here is open by appointment only. Phone: 405-884-2765.

The long rectangular building has arched windows on both levels. The upper windows are covered over, have stone sills and arched brick lintels. The ground floor windows similarly have arched brick lintels, and have a continuous rusticated stone sill. Three large window units (two on the west and one on the north), have double windows with fixed panes, and have a segmented, wood-framed fanlight above. the remaining windows are single hung units. The entrance is canted on the northwest corner, flanked by brick pilasters with a gabled pediment above. A secondary entrance on the west was opened in 1935 to allow vehicles, and currently has a single overhead door.

The flat roof line has several rows of dentilated brick. A tower once located at the northwest corner has been removed in years past. Currently, a curved stone panel, painted white, has raised letters reading "ED GILLESPIE / 1903.

Address: 102 E. Main Street Geary, OK 73040 Year: 1903 Website: [Web Link] Current Use of Building: Canadian Rivers Historical Museum

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