1883 -First National Bank of Taylor- Taylor, TX - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

The primary entrance faces northeast, and is placed on a chamfered corner of the main façade. This entry represents the main façade, and is set off by corner pilasters and a gabled cornice. Secondary entrances occur on north elevation facing Second Street, and on the east elevation facing Main Street. These secondary portals provided entry into the various businesses housed within the bank building. The north elevation displays consistent rhythm and clearly was designed as a subsidiary elevation. The rhythm of the east elevation is broken by the insertion of a secondary storefront, complete with a central entrance flanked by larger display widows. Lower floor windows are tripartite arched windows, with each section partitioned by milled wood trim. Several of these windows feature decorative leaded glass. The second floor of both the north and east elevations are separated from the ground floor by a double banded string course. Windows at this level are similar on both elevations, characterized by segmental arch windows capped with hood moldings. The building is crowned by a pressed metal cornice, supported by pressed metal brackets and crowned with finials. The cornice was fabricated by Jno. Buass of Austin, who did much of the work on Congress Avenue. Significant interior features include a bank vault toward the northwest end of the building.

In 1883, The First National Bank of Taylor was founded with John R. Hoxie as the first president. Hoxie, a railroad magnate and former mayor of Chicago, came to Texas in 1878 and purchased 9,000 acres of ranchland about six miles northeast of Taylor. The First National Bank of Taylor was the first national bank in Taylor and in all of Williamson county.

This two-story bank building occupies a prominent location at the intersection of Main Street and Second (what is now the intersection of Business 79 and Highway 95). This bank is one block to the north of the railroad tracks, and opposite the Taylor National Bank. The First National Bank of Taylor occupied this building for almost fifty years, from 1883 until 1931.

From its inception, the building was always divided into several businesses, with the bank floor occupying the corner space on the lower level, and the southern half of the building housed a saloon and billiards parlour (1883-1904), a restaurant and pool hall. The Texas Café occupied space for almost thirty years, and was perhaps most significant occupant of the building. The small space in the northwest corner of the building alternated between a barber shop and a storage space for either the bank or the saloon, billiards, and café in the southern part of the building.

The second story of the bank building was used as a Masonic Lodge until the turn of the century, and was additionally occupied by professional offices for lawyers, physicians, cotton buyers, and real estate and insurance agencies (including the Fisher & Hafernik Insurance Agency, which leased the upper floors). A printing office and Western Union Telegraph were also among its occupants. The First National Bank owned and occupied the building until the bank merged with Taylor National Bank to form First-Taylor National Bank in 1931. The banking hall was then occupied by several grocers until it was leased in 1960 by R.E. Kollman, which eventually became Kollman & Gant Cotton Buyers until mid-1980s.

This building is currently vacant and for sale.

Timeline from the period of construction:
In 1882, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad extended tracks to link it to the great Missouri Pacific system. Less than ten years after the frontier station on the open range began to attract residents.

In 1882, Taylor established a public school and community water works to pipe fresh water to homes and businesses in town.

When logging a visit to a waymark in this category, please provide one or more photos taken by yourself, and note down your impressions and any background information you may have.