The Coitulla State Bank, undergoing renovation as of July 1015, is a contributing building to the Cotulla US National Register Cotulla Downtown Historic District.
From the US National Register Nomination Form on file with the Texas Historical Commission: (
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“The Cotulla Downtown Historic District includes 33 total resources in central Cotulla, Texas. Within the district
are railroad tracks, brick 1-part and 2-part commercial buildings facing the railroad tracks on Front Street, the
Art Deco La Salle County Courthouse, the town plaza, and several additional historic commercial buildings with
high level of integrity. The district is approximately 17 acres in area and lies roughly between Kerr and Market
Streets, and Tilden and Carrizo Streets. Its boundary is slightly irregular in order to include the highest
concentration of historic resources. Of the 33 total resources, 21 are considered contributing. Of the eleven
noncontributing resources, seven date to the historic period of 1881 to 1952 but have poor integrity; the
remaining three postdate the period of significance.
. . .
Cotulla State Bank (Resource 7)
Circa 1920
Contributing Building
The Cotulla State Bank at 101 N. Front Street is a two-story bank building located at the northwest corner of
Front Street and Center Street. The building has a variety of architectural details and its fenestration patterns
and historic windows are remarkably intact. The building features a unique corner entry that is not chamfered or
inset, but has a matching single entry door near the corner of each façade. Both the east and south elevations
have been stuccoed, but the architectural features were left intact. A highly decorative cornice is located at
parapet level of both elevations. It features a stepped two-layer coping along the top, with a wide decorative
frieze below that features brick dentils and geometric shapes. At the building corners, and between the bays of
the front façade, corbelled vertical elements punctuate the textured frieze.
The building’s front elevation, which faces Front Street, has three bays. The lower level has three tall arched
openings, each with a decorative hood mold. The southernmost opening is the aforementioned arched entrance
door, which is accessed by a short concrete stoop. The other two arched openings are windows. The three
openings are of equal height and width. Above each of these openings is a semi-circular transom; the central
one has its historic sunburst-style window intact, whereas the others have been replaced by vents. The corner
door opening and central window have been blocked in, and the northernmost window opening has been
converted to a door, but the sills, headers, and decorative hood molds are intact. On the second floor, the front
elevation contains three arched window openings with hood molds—smaller versions of the openings below.
The windows contain 2/2 double hung sashes.
The south elevation has a long streetside façade with irregular bays and slightly less ornamentation than is found
on the front. At the east end of the first floor is the aforementioned corner entry, accessed by a short concrete
stoop. Its sunburst-style arched transom window is intact, but it has a nonhistoric door. Near the center of the
south façade are two unadorned double-hung windows. At the southern end, near the rear of the building, are
two small storefronts, each with historic wood double entry doors and single double hung window. These were
likely offices or shops. Adjacent to them is a single door that once led to the upstairs units. The rectangular
transoms found above these door and window openings are intact. On the second floor are five rectangular
window openings, each topped by a small arched molding. Two of the windows contain their original 2/2
double hung windows, but the others have been blocked in.