First National Bank Building, Mason City IA

KENT, BIEBBE, MOURSE, RASMUSSEN, ATIKINSON, POTTS, HARRISON, LYTLE, MACNIDER, WRIGHT, FISCHBECK

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/16/2011 at 20:05:10

First National Bank Building
5 N. Federal Avenue, Mason City IA

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Thursday, June 9, 2011
by Kristin Bueher

First National Bank building recalls
a prosperous time in Mason City history

MASON CITY — The construction of the First National Bank building, 100 years ago this month, brought Mason City into the big-city leagues.

"It was an early example of a Midwest skyscraper," said Ed KENT, president of City Center of Mason City, Inc., which owns the First National Bank building.

Built in a strategic downtown location, at 5 N. Federal Ave., the 6½-story building, now City Center of Mason City, was designed by a team of Des Moines architects, Henry Frantz LIEBBE, a native of Germany, Clinton C. NOURSE and Edward F. RASMUSSEN.

It was built at a cost of $250,000. Contractor was C. E. ATIKINSON of Webster City.

The formal opening was June 8, 1911.

A jewelry shop, POTTS' Jewelry, was located in a portion of the main floor, according to a 1998 report by the State Historical Society of Iowa. The basement housed a barber shop. Offices were located in the upper stories.

The First National Bank of Mason City "illustrates how Classical Revival styling could be applied to a large-scale commercial building,” the Historical Society reported.

It conveys a "soaring feeling" to the viewer, combining "a massive rectangular shape, heavy cornice above the first floor, granite base pilasters, Doric columns flanking the main entrance and a richly detailed top story."

"They wouldn't even think of building a structure 6½ stories tall in Mason City now," KENT said.

But in 1911, Mason City was experiencing a population boom following development of the railroad and several major industries. The sky seemed the limit for the city's future.

"Both cement plants were operating," said Terry HARRISON, historian and archivist at the Mason City Public Library. "All but one of the brick and tile plants had been consolidated. DECKERS meat packing was running full-tilt. There were five railroad lines. The Colby Car plant started in 1910. There was a lot of building and a lot of industry going on. Things were really happening."

The bank itself existed prior to 1911. Its seeds were planted in The Banking House of W. H. LYTLE, a private bank built in 1869 at 10 S. Federal Ave. In 1870 it was renamed the Cerro Gordo County Bank.

It became the First National Bank of Mason City on Oct. 18, 1881. The following year, it was relocated to the current building's location in a two-story white stone structure built as a post office.

Charles MacNIDER, who was hired at the Cerro Gordo County Bank in 1875 as a janitor and messenger boy, was elected president of the First National Bank in 1901 and was its president when the existing structure was constructed.

By 1910, First National bank officials were in keen competition with those of City National Bank, formerly City Bank, then located where Moorman Clothiers is now, KENT said.

Both decided to build new, grander offices.

"They were each trying to outdo the other," KENT said.

Prominent architect Frank Lloyd WRIGHT of Oak Park, Ill., was commissioned to design City National Bank. The bank would be smaller than the First National but more distinctive, according to Mason City unofficial historian Art FISCHBECK.

It was completed in 1910, the year construction began on the First National Bank.

The new First National Bank featured thick Italian marble on the walls, mahogany trim, brass fixtures, terrazo floors and electric lights in white globes hanging in clusters from elaborate 18-foot ceilings in the lobby. The fire proof structure also featured a steel-reinforced concrete frame and brick walls embellished with terra cotta.

Under MacNIDER'S leadership, the First National Bank of Mason City weathered the Panic of 1907. It was the only one of five banks in Mason City to survive the Great Depression and was the city's only bank until 1936.

On March 13, 1934, the First National Bank had the distinction of being held up by a band of seven Chicago gangsters that included John DILLINGER and Baby Face NELSON. Armed with Tommy guns and .45-caliber handguns, the bandits made off with $52,000, took 13 hostages — all of whom were later released — and wounded at least two people.

Major remodelings in 1953-54 and the 1970's significantly altered the building's interior. The marble walls were replaced with contemporary plaster and drywall, chandeliers were removed and ceilings lowered. New utility systems were installed. Windows were also replaced, although those on the fifth and sixth floors were replaced using the original double-hung sash design.

The First National Bank building served as a bank until 1995 when City Center of Mason City Inc. purchased the building, remodeled it and turned it into apartments and offices.

The bank, which had become Norwest Bank in 1983, moved into a new building at 10 N. Washington Ave. It is today Wells Fargo Bank.

The First National Bank building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2011

First National Bank Building, Mason City Iowa
 

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