First National Bank
Building #1; First National Bank
Address: 101 North Chelan Avenue
Classification: Contributing
Date of Construction: 1891-1892
Description: Located on the prominent northeast corner of Locust Street and Chelan Avenue, the First National Bank/Kincaid/IOOF Block is a three part commercial structure built of Waterville brick supplied by Mike Eckert and designed in a vernacular style that alludes to both the popular Romanesque Revival and the late Victorian Italianate. The two story structure initially measured 80 feet along the Chelan façade and 75 feet on Locust Street until a rear bay was added sometime in the early 20th century which extended the Chelan Avenue façade by about 30 feet.
History: Construction of this block was "the beginning of making our city compact and substantial," according to news accounts of the day. The three property owners agreed upon a uniform style, scale, and material. The result was a substantial structure unrivalled in size and sophistication for at least a decade. And because construction coincided with (or perhaps was precipitated by) the establishment of a brick yard in the city, the block was Waterville f s first major brick building.
The First National Bank, which was located in the corner bay, was founded earlier in the year by W.R. Ballard, president; R.E. Steiner, Vice President; and W.L. Wilson, cashier. Original directors included A.R. Foote, A.T. Greene, A.L. Rogers, and M.B. Howe. The bank was capitalized at $50,000 and received its first shipment of currency in March. The bank remained in the corner location and rented out the upstairs offices until 1905 when the Masonic Lodge (organized as the Badger Mountain Lodge in 1889) purchased the structure. The Masons had previously met in the neighboring IOOF hall.
The Kincaid Block was constructed by James Kincaid, one of the original settlers who helped plat the town. Kincaid rented both floors to a variety of businesses, including clothing shops, dry goods stores, and a boot and shoe firm. The most notable tenant in the early 20th century was the Alexander Mercantile Company. Fire insurance maps indicate that the upstairs rooms were reserved for the Armory Hall in the early 20th century.
Founded in 1889, the Waterville IOOF chapter is the oldest fraternal organization in Douglas County. The lodge, which had a frame hall at the site, decided to build a brick structure in 1890 and dedicated the completed hall in 1892. The ground floor offices were rented to the Douglas County Bank (see building #7) and the United States Land Office through the first decade of the 20th century. The land office did a booming business and conducted more than 2,700 transactions in 1902 alone.
From the NRHP Registration Form