Former Citizens Bank - Stillwater, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 36° 06.736 W 097° 03.488
14S E 674777 N 3998146
Originally built as Citizens Bank, this building has housed numerous businesses over its 124 years.
Waymark Code: WMZ0ZP
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 08/23/2018
Views: 3
This is a one-story building constructed of rusticated native sandstone, built in 1894. The stone walls are 18 inches thick. It is one of only two Romanesque buildings in Stillwater, and is the oldest existing commercial building in town.
The building was built by the first Citizens Bank President, Henry E. Hand. The bank operated here until 1900 when it received a national charter and moved to another location. After that, the building housed a succession of businesses, including a harness/bridle business, a barber/beauty shop, cafe, Justice of the Peace, pawn shop, real estate and insurance companies, baker, feed store and even a saloon. From 1936-1978 it was a shoe repair shop. Today, the building is home to the Stillwater Volunteer Center.
The facade has three bays, each with a stone arch. The center arch is over a double wood/glass door entrance, with the other arches over windows. There are large fanlights, surrounded by small panes of colored glass. Above this is a pressed tin frieze decorated with rosettes and leaves and medallions. Above this is a bracketed cornice, with a raised pediment reading "CITIZENS BANK". An original date panel is missing. The building was placed on the National Register in 1981.
