Friday, June 26, 2009

The Age of Main Street Banking

In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, nearly all Nebraska communities had at least one bank. It was a necessity in an era much less mobile than our own. In order to convince the public of their stability and trustworthiness, these financial institutions turned to architecture to convey this notion. The result: substantial, well-built, ornate structures. While the Depression and rural demographic shifts brought an end to many of these banks, the buildings themselves often remain a downtown fixture; a reminder of the age of main street banking.

Thayer, Nebraska
Farmers State Bank

2 comments:

garpled said...

What a great blog - not only many beautiful village churches, but also other monuments of the history of people - banks, stores, etc.
Keep it up - there is so much to document before it disappears.
Regards,
Frank, Denmark (in Europe)

Chase M. Becker said...

Frank,
Thank you so much for your kind words! There is so much history and beauty in our own backyards, but most of it is unnoticed or unappreciated. Hopefully I can help bring just a little recognition to these fantastic places! Thanks again and I'm thrilled to have a reader from Denmark!