About
1928, Norton and Peel |
2014, CPED Staff |
Address: 705 42nd Avenue North
Neighborhood: Camden
Construction Date: 1910, 1920
Contractor: Charles Johnson
Architect: Septimus James Bowler, Ernest C. Haley
Architectural Style: Vernacular Neoclassical
Historic Use: Bank, mortuary, post office, professional offices, retail, community lodge, ballroom
Current Use: Restaurant, offices, hair salon
Date of Local Designation: 2015
Date of National Designation: N/A
Area of Significance: Streetcar development, community identity, master architects
Period of Significance: 1910-1954
Historic Profile: The Camden Park State Bank is significant as the most visible remnant of the Camden Community’s business district, as well as for its association with Minneapolis’ streetcar heritage and architects Septimus James Bowler and Ernest C. Haley.
The roots of today’s Camden Community lie in the former Town of Camden, which developed around mills and brickyards located along Shingle Creek near its junction with the Mississippi River. The first mill was built in 1852, and by the 1880s a small, largely industrial town had developed. Camden’s former business district was located at the six-way intersection of Washington Avenue North, Lyndale Avenue North, 42nd Avenue North, and Webber Parkway. Camden was annexed by Minneapolis in 1887, and streetcar service was extended to the business district in 1890, leading to further commercial growth.
The 1910 portion of the Camden Park State Bank building was built to house a community hall with retail below, and the 1920 addition housed the bank itself, along with various offices and services on the upper floors. Throughout the 1920s and 30s the building was a centerpiece of Camden’s commercial district, housing a wide variety of community services, including a bank, post office, lodge, ballroom, mortuary, doctor, dentist, lawyer, and insurance agent. During the construction of Interstate 94, the intersection was reconfigured and Camden’s entire business district was demolished, with the exception of the Camden Park State Bank and two smaller single-story commercial buildings.
Photo Credits:
1928, Norton & Peel, Minnesota Historical Society
2014, CPED Staff
Work Cited:
“Designation Study: Camden Park State Bank” 2015