Emaus National Bank Building - Emmaus, PA, USA - Converted Bank Buildings on Waymarking.com

The Emaus National Bank was founded on January 12, 1904 and opened for business at a different location on April 19, 1904 with a capital stock of $50,000 and deposits of $17,000. The capital stock was increase to $75,000 and within several years the bank had resources of $500,000 and deposits of $250,000.

In 1908, the bank built this building at Fourth and Railroad streets for $50,000. The building is 100 ft long with a width varying from 45 to 72 feet, with a height of three stories. It was built in a Renaissance style of architecture and was ornate to a degree without being flashy. Construction is of brick and stone, with the door steps, columns and sills being pink granite and light blue marble. Trimmings are of cream white terra cotta with a semi-glaze finish and elaborate cornices mark the building.

The basement contained the vault, store, fuel rooms, a heating plant and employees also had access to billiards, social and toilet rooms. The second floor contained the large banking room which is two stories in height with a balcony on the sides midway to the banking room dome. Rest rooms and telephone booths were available along with offices and private rooms for directors, the cashier and bank president. There was also the town post office and a restaurant on the second floor.

The third floor was devoted to lodge meeting purposes with a large lodge room and side rooms for storing paraphernalia, a kitchen, banquet room and bathrooms. Social clubs such as the Knights of Pythias (who moved here in 1909), and the Odd Fellows met here. Social clubs began meeting here in summer of 1908.

In 1933 (at the height of the Great Depression) the Emaus National Bank occupied the quarters of nearby Security Trust and assumed its deposit liability. Allentown National Bank merged with the Emmaus National Bank to form the First National Bank of Allentown, PA in 1954.

The building currently houses Edward Jones Investments, Zimzum consuting and and a used book store at the street level. The second and third floors house offices.

Notes on the spelling discrepancy:

This area was settled by German immigrants. In German, the m in 'Emaus' had a line over it to signify two ms. The line was dropped around 1830 and the town name was spelled Emaus. In 1938, a petition was sent around in Emaus to correct the English spelling to Emmaus. So for a little over 100 years, the spelling was Emaus. The bank's name is not misspelled. That was the spelling of the name at the time the bank opened in 1904.

Address: 12 South Fourth Street Emmaus, PA 18049 Year: 1908 Current Use of Building: Businesses at street level, offices upstairs Website: Not listed

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