First National Bank - Altoona, Pennsylvania
Posted by: ted28285
N 40° 30.933 W 078° 24.070
17T E 720170 N 4488225
Built in 1924 for the 1st National Bank was described as a "magnificent temple of finance". Located at 1206 - 11th Avenue.
Waymark Code: WM144MD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 04/14/2021
Views: 3
The second headquarters of a bank established in 1863, the First National Bank of Altoona was
described as a "magnificent temple of finance" when it opened in 1926. Architect John A.
Dempwolfs monumental, temple-front design well suited Altoona's prosperous commercial
streetscape of the 1920s, and was frankly intended to evoke the wealth and stability of the Roman
imperial era that inspired its form. The bank's Neoclassical exterior is complemented by a
virtually unaltered interior featuring two murals depicting a century of progress in the
transportation industry."
Mellon Bank moved into the building after the First National Bank closed. The building then stood empty for a few years until 'The Colunms' an event/banquet hall remodeled the ground floor to meet their needs. Today there are a couple of small shops on the ground floor and office space is being leased on the upper levels.