The (First) First National Bank Building, 1490 Miner

The 1913 First National Bank building (the first of three buildings that bear that name) is another little gem on Miner Street that is overshadowed by the ugly signs and renovations that it has accumulated over the years. But that pretty little building is still waiting to be rediscovered under all that junk.

First National Bank opened January 28, 1913 under the direction of Joseph L. Jefferson, with six charter members and $60,000 in resources. In this first year, it operated out of the Scott Insurance and Real Estate office on Miner Street. By June of the same year, plans were underway for a permanent home. An order was placed for a Terra Cotta facade from the Midland Terra Cotta company of Chicago, designed by an architect named Rowe. There were a pair of architect brothers in Park Ridge named Charles Barr Rowe and Lindley Phelps Rowe at the time, so it is likely they were responsible. Midland specialized in stock, off the shelf terra cotta, instead of only custom work; this building may be composed of such stock elements.

The building opened Saturday, December 6, 1913. It is a single-story white terra cotta building in the Beaux Arts style, typical of the then-popular City Beautiful movement. Built on the site of the Des Plaines Suburban Times' previous printing press, the shiny white temple must have really stood out in Des Plaines then, with its dirt streets and buildings of brick and frame. The building is exceptionally well-detailed, with fluted Roman Ionic columns placed in antis, a frieze reading FIRST NATIONAL BANK with paired consoles, with a dentilled cornice above topped by a toothed plaque reading 1913. Its storefront facade followed this classical theme, with belt courses and fancy iron work. I still have not found a picture of its original interior, but it probably looked similar to the Des Plaines State Bank building.

By the end of 1913, the initial $60,000 had already ballooned to $206,659. In 1916, the officers of the bank were: Joseph L. Jefferson, President; George M. Whitcomb, Vice-President; Charles Boesche, Vice-President; Glenn C. Tolin, Cashier. Directors were Harry T. Bennett, Henry Goede, Louis C. Spiegler, Charles Boesche, Dr. A. M. Purves, Arthur L. Webster, Ning Eley, W. L. Plew, and George W. Sykes.

In 1927, the bank expanded into the adjacent Gillespie Printery building (better known as Bremer's Stationers - the subject of an upcoming entry.) This was at the height of Des Plaines' roaring 20s growth spurt - the highways, Masonic Temple, Des Plaines Theatre, and new homes brought much more attention to Des Plaines. The older and larger Des Plaines State Bank was building its new marble building at the time. In 1937, the bank moved into the much larger, and by then vacant, second Des Plaines State Bank building. At some point a neon sign was added over the frieze, starting the tradition of inappropriate signs.

Soon after, the Des Plaines Agency (Insurance) moved in. The building also started holding a second tenant - over the years Benjamin Electric's employment office, Singer Sewing Machine Repair, Dooley Real Estate, Ladendorf Real Estate, Lutheran General, Becker Roofing, Phillip Mizok, attorney, and more.

The Des Plaines Agency was replaced by the current tenant, Des Plaines Currency Exchange, in the mid-1960s. The frieze sign was changed again and an hourglass projecting neon sign was added. Some time later the upper window was covered by a mansard roof and another big panel sign, and the neon hourglass was replaced by a backlit plastic panel, leaving the eyesore we see now. Surprisingly, most of the original iron work still exists, altered to fit two doors instead of one.

How to rehab this building? First, the signs and mansard need to go. The building needs a good cleaning; it would be bright white again without discolored mortar. With the new casino coming, it is probably not best to have a Currency Exchange in the middle of downtown; maybe there is a less-conspicuous place for it. The building would be well-suited for a number of uses, especially across from the train station. It would make a good coffeeshop, sandwich shop - maybe even a nice little Greek restaurant! And remember, it attaches to the adjacent building, which adds more flexibility. The First National Bank building is another forgotten piece of history downtown with a lot of character and potential.