Palestine Bank or Fife's Bank - Palestine, IL - Converted Bank Buildings on Waymarking.com

County of building: Crawford County
Location of building 117-119 S. Main St., Palestine
Built: 1898
Original Occupants: 117 - Palestine Bank or Fife Bank and 119 - F.L. Freeman Department Store
Current Occupants: 117 - Thompson Chiropractic Center; 119 - Morticians Office

"117-119 S. Main.   Two story red brick building built 1898. Contributing.

"This is a Late Victorian, two story building made of red brick (running board.) with two store fronts with each store front having its own cast iron facade made by the George Mesker Iron Works, Evansville, Indiana. The facade has a fluted, flower-decorated columns at the entrance and at the north end of the building. The south end shares the column with the F.L. Freeman building. There is a row of decorative rosettes above the windows.

"The windows at the second story have cast iron pediment window hoods. The building is topped with a cast iron frieze at the parapet. The frieze has a molded decoration of recessed panels, alternating with brackets below which are draped swags. Below the frieze is a decorative dentil brick across the facade. The cast iron facade's piers are fluted.

"117 South Main, Palestine Bank or Fife Bank, (Thompson Chiropractic Center). This building was built by William Fife in 1898 as a private bank. He and his son, Robert, started the bank. In 1907, they reorganized into the Farmer's State Bank and a son, Matthew, went into the business with them. The Palestine Savings and Loan and Richards Insurance Agency was located here in the 1930's and 1940's. This building has been recently painted and tuck-pointed and the Mesker logo retouched. The original vault remains in this building. (Photograph #5)

"117 South Main. Palestine Bank, later it was renamed Farmer's State Bank. For many years it was a savings and loan. Currently the Thompson Chiropractic Center." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

Address: 117 S. Main St., Palestine, IL 62451 Year: 1898 Website: [Web Link] Current Use of Building: Morticians Office

Visit Instructions:
Please give your impression about the bank and/or it's architecture. Also please post another photo of the building.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.