Merchants' National Bank
Encyclopedia
Merchants' National Bank (1914) building is located at 833 Fourth Avenue in Grinnell, Iowa
. It is one of a series of small banks designed by Louis Sullivan
in the Midwest between 1909 and 1919. All of the banks are built of brick and for this structure he employed various shades of brick, ranging in color from blue-black to golden brown, giving it an overall reddish brown appearance. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1976.
Structurally the building is a rectangular box, with a magnificent main facade and a windowed side facade.
Although this building is smaller than either his Owatonna or Cedar Rapids
banks it appears just as monumental. This is due largely to the oversized cartouche
that surrounds a circular window on the Fourth Street facade. Light is introduced into the interior by a series of stained glass windows that alternate with structural posts down the side of the building and through the colored glass skylight that comprises much of the ceiling.
While the bank housed in the structure, and its location, Grinnell Iowa, did not warrant national attention, yet the unveiling of a Louis Sullivan building was given national coverage in the architectural press of the day and the Merchants' Bank was thus featured in an eleven page spread in The Western Architect's February 1916 edition.
As he did in his banks in Cedar Rapids
and Sidney
, Ohio, Sullivan used lions, or at least a grotesque, winged version of a lion, as figurative decoration. This creature is one of the very few figurative elements that can be found in the architect's designs. (The angels in his Transportation Building and the Bayard-Condict Building
being other examples.)
Some of the plans and even the designs of the ornament were done by Sullivan's draftsman Parker N. Berry, who was shortly thereafter to fall victim to the 1918 Spanish flu
epidemic.
In the 1970s or early 1980s a city beautification project sponsored the planting of several trees in front of the bank. Gebhard calls this an "unbelievable decision" for the growing plants would obscure more and more of the amazing facade. These plantings can be easily seen in the gallery pictures, taken in 1985.
In 2007 the city remodeled its downtown sidewalks and streets so the intersections of the square had the "Jewelbox" appearance to them. The city also put Planters at the four corners of the crossings which have the "Jewelbox" engraved in them.
Between 2008 and 2009 one of the lions in front of the building was damaged. Both lions have now been replaced.
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
. It is one of a series of small banks designed by Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an...
in the Midwest between 1909 and 1919. All of the banks are built of brick and for this structure he employed various shades of brick, ranging in color from blue-black to golden brown, giving it an overall reddish brown appearance. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1976.
Structurally the building is a rectangular box, with a magnificent main facade and a windowed side facade.
Although this building is smaller than either his Owatonna or Cedar Rapids
Peoples Savings Bank
The Peoples Savings Bank, located at 101 3rd Avenue, SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was designed by Louis Sullivan. It was built in 1911 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.- History :...
banks it appears just as monumental. This is due largely to the oversized cartouche
Cartouche (design)
A cartouche is an oval or oblong design with a slightly convex surface, typically edged with ornamental scrollwork. It is used to hold a painted or low relief design....
that surrounds a circular window on the Fourth Street facade. Light is introduced into the interior by a series of stained glass windows that alternate with structural posts down the side of the building and through the colored glass skylight that comprises much of the ceiling.
While the bank housed in the structure, and its location, Grinnell Iowa, did not warrant national attention, yet the unveiling of a Louis Sullivan building was given national coverage in the architectural press of the day and the Merchants' Bank was thus featured in an eleven page spread in The Western Architect's February 1916 edition.
As he did in his banks in Cedar Rapids
Peoples Savings Bank
The Peoples Savings Bank, located at 101 3rd Avenue, SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was designed by Louis Sullivan. It was built in 1911 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.- History :...
and Sidney
People's Federal Savings and Loan Association
The People's Federal Savings and Loan Association in Sidney is an early-modern building in western Ohio, designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, the mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was designed and built in 1917 for use by Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association, which still operates...
, Ohio, Sullivan used lions, or at least a grotesque, winged version of a lion, as figurative decoration. This creature is one of the very few figurative elements that can be found in the architect's designs. (The angels in his Transportation Building and the Bayard-Condict Building
Bayard-Condict Building
The Bayard-Condict Building at 65 Bleecker Street between Broadway and Lafayette Street, at the head of Crosby Street in the NoHo neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York City is the only work of architect Louis Sullivan in New York City. It was built between 1897 and 1899 in the Chicago School style;...
being other examples.)
Some of the plans and even the designs of the ornament were done by Sullivan's draftsman Parker N. Berry, who was shortly thereafter to fall victim to the 1918 Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
epidemic.
In the 1970s or early 1980s a city beautification project sponsored the planting of several trees in front of the bank. Gebhard calls this an "unbelievable decision" for the growing plants would obscure more and more of the amazing facade. These plantings can be easily seen in the gallery pictures, taken in 1985.
In 2007 the city remodeled its downtown sidewalks and streets so the intersections of the square had the "Jewelbox" appearance to them. The city also put Planters at the four corners of the crossings which have the "Jewelbox" engraved in them.
Between 2008 and 2009 one of the lions in front of the building was damaged. Both lions have now been replaced.
Other Louis Sullivan "jewel boxes"
- Farmers and Merchants BankFarmers and Merchants Union Bank (Columbus, Wisconsin)The Farmers and Merchants Union Bank in Columbus, Wisconsin, also known as Farmers' and Merchants' Union Bank, is the last of eight "jewel box" banks designed by Louis Sullivan, and the next to last of those being constructed....
, ColumbusColumbus, WisconsinColumbus is a city in Columbia and Dodge Counties in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 4,991 at the 2010 census. Columbus is located about northeast of Madison on the Crawfish River. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
(1919) - Henry Adams BuildingHenry Adams BuildingThe Henry Adams Building , located in Algona, Iowa, was designed by Louis Sullivan in 1912....
, Algona, IowaAlgona, IowaAlgona is a city in and the county seat of Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,741 at the 2000 census. Ambrose A. Call State Park is located two miles southwest of the city.-History:...
(1913) - Home Building Association CompanyHome Building Association CompanyThe Home Building Association Bank is a historic building located at 6 West Main Street in Newark, Ohio, and was designed by noted Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. It was one of three banks designed by Sullivan in 1914, the other two being in Grinnell, Iowa and in West Lafayette, Indiana...
, NewarkNewark, OhioIn addition, the remains of a road leading south from the Octagon have been documented and explored. It was first surveyed in the 19th century, when its walls were more apparent. Called the Great Hopewell Road, it may extend to the Hopewell complex at Chillicothe, Ohio...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(1914) - National Farmer's BankNational Farmer's Bank of OwatonnaThe National Farmers' Bank of Owatonna, Minnesota is a bank building designed by Louis Sullivan with decorative elements by George Elmslie. It was built in 1908, and was the first of Sullivan's "jewel boxes". The building is clad in red brick with green terra cotta bands, and features two large...
, OwatonnaOwatonna, MinnesotaOwatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....
, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(1908) - People's Federal Savings and Loan AssociationPeople's Federal Savings and Loan AssociationThe People's Federal Savings and Loan Association in Sidney is an early-modern building in western Ohio, designed by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, the mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was designed and built in 1917 for use by Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association, which still operates...
, Sidney, OhioSidney, OhioSidney is a city in Shelby County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,211 at the 2000 census. It is named after English poet Sir Phillip Sidney and is the county seat of Shelby County.Sidney was the recipient of the 1964 All-America City Award...
(1918) - Peoples Savings BankPeoples Savings BankThe Peoples Savings Bank, located at 101 3rd Avenue, SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was designed by Louis Sullivan. It was built in 1911 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.- History :...
, Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
(1912) - Purdue State BankPurdue State BankIn 1914 the Purdue State Bank, the smallest and least expensive of architect Louis Sullivan's "Jewel Boxes" was completed in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States. Built on a tiny, triangular shaped lot the building makes the most of the small space alloted to it...
, West LafayetteWest Lafayette, IndianaAs of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
(1914)
Sources
- Brooks, H. Allen, The Prairie School: Frank Lloyd Wright and His Contemporaries, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario, 1972
- Elia, Mario Manieri, Louis Henry Sullivan, Princeton Architectural Press, Princeton NY, 1996
- Gebhard, David & Gerald Mansheim, Building of Iowa, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993
- Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, The Louis Sullivan Pilgrimage, unpublished manuscript
- Morrison, Hugh, "Louis Sullivan: Prophet of Modern Architecture", W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 1963
- Twombly, Robert, Louis Sullivan: His Life and Work, Elizabeth Sifton Books - Viking, New York, 1986
- Wilson, Richard Guy and Sidney K. Robinson, The Prairie School in Iowa, Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, 1977