1893

2006

Address: 115 4^th Street South

Neighborhood: Downtown West

Construction Date: 1891-92, 1908

Contractor: Unknown

Architect: Long and Kees (1891), William Kenyon (1908)

Architectural Style: Beaux-Arts Classical

Historic Use: Commercial

Current Use: Commercial

Date of Local Designation: 1980

Date of National Register Designation: 1984

Area(s) of Significance: Architecture

Period of Significance: 1800-1899, 1900-

Historic Profile: The Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank was originally designed by the locally prominent architectural firm of Long and Kees as a one-story Beaux-Arts building. Exhibiting an unusual style for Long and Kees, the Beaux-Arts façade for the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank deviated from their preferred Richardsonian Romanesque mode. In 1908, architect William Kenyon was commissioned to design a second-story addition to the bank. The façade was enlarged, but kept its original Beaux-Arts design intent. Resembling white marble, the limestone exterior is articulated by five bays separated by rusticated, block patterned, stone piers. The piers support paired fluted Corinthian pilasters. The entrance, located in the center arch, was originally sheltered by an open loggia formed by balustraded open arches. The loggia has since been enclosed. The Farmers and Mechanics Bank is also unique among Minneapolis banking institutions as the only mutual savings bank. In 1942 the bank moved to a new location at 90 South Sixth Street and the building on 4 ^th Street was converted into commercial space.

Photo Credits:

1893, Run on the bank, courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society

2006, Minneapolis CPED

Updated: February 2007