Maplewood History: The Bank of Maplewood-Part 3 (continued)

By
Doug Houser
-
18
180
The second of the two views most likely taken shortly before demolition. Note the name change. Courtesy of Wanda Kennedy Kuntz.

Three buildings=three parts.  I view it as part of my mission to make these images available to interested parties.  Can I help it if I happen to have so many of the Bank of Maplewood?

The third and last building to be used by the banking entity when it called itself the Bank of Maplewood lasted almost exactly 50 years, 1926 to the mid 70’s.  The name was changed to the Pioneer Bank while still in occupancy at this location.

See also: Maplewood History: The Bank of Maplewood-Part 1, Maplewood History: The Bank of Maplewood-Part 2, Maplewood History: Bank of Maplewood-Part 3, Maplewood History: The Bank of Maplewood-Part 3 (continued)

I hope you enjoy this look at the many changes one of our most prominent intersections has seen throughout the years.

This drawing from the letterhead of a 1931 letter has the familiar under scaled street life.
This drawing from the letterhead of a 1931 letter has the familiar under scaled street life.
Undated (may have been my fault when I copied it) newspaper clipping. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
Undated (may have been my fault when I copied it) newspaper clipping. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The first of two views taken in 1931. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The first of two views taken in 1931. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The second of the two views taken in 1931. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The second of the two views taken in 1931. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The next photo has the details. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The next photo has the details. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
This is the back of the previous photo. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
This is the back of the previous photo. Courtesy of the Maplewood Public Library.
The first of two views most likely taken shortly before demolition. Courtesy of Wanda Kennedy Kuntz.
The first of two views most likely taken shortly before demolition. Courtesy of Wanda Kennedy Kuntz.
The second of the two views most likely taken shortly before demolition. Note the name change. Courtesy of Wanda Kennedy Kuntz.
The second of the two views most likely taken shortly before demolition. Note the name change. Courtesy of Wanda Kennedy Kuntz.
Where is it now. You'll have to ask Bob Scheidt. Sadly the above is all that remains to be seen of the once impressive third building of the Bank of Maplewood.
Where is it now? You’ll have to ask Bob Scheidt. Sadly the above is all that remains to be seen of the once impressive third building of the Bank of Maplewood.

18 COMMENTS

  1. Lived here most of my life. Remember what downtown used to look like. Friday and Saturdays the streets were filled with shoppers. Nice to see it’s back the way it used to be.

    • Isn’t it though. One would hope that in these enlightened times we’d be past those sort of mistakes but they’re still being made. Most recent example, the Sierra Club’s insensitive displacement of the cabinetry of our historic Harper’s Pharmacy. Thanks for your comment, Kathy.

  3. Thanks again, doug. As a young boy, I remember the cavernous interior of the bank. Alice was a teller there and on Big Bend for at least 25 years – always a joy to see. FYI, my grandfather was on the Board of Directors beginning in the early 1930s. Such a shame it was torn down for a K-Mart!

    • Thanks Scott from the Blood family, builders of the Maplewood Mill, the Saratoga Lanes building, the Mule Palace behind it and the former Kroger store now The Wood building. Actually I don’t remember if your family built that last one or acquired it later. I’ll have several posts about your families buildings hopefully in the near future.

      • Doug, the Kroger building went up in the 1930s and yes, it was family owned. Interesting note on that building: 16″ piers surround the building at 7″ intervals. I think my grandfather had plans to add another story to it. For one story unit, it is indeed overbuilt.

  4. My family banked at Maplewood/Pioneer Bank before and after it moved to Big Bend. I remember one very sweet lady who worked there, Phyllis Hill. Always gave me candy when I went in with my mom! Thanks, Doug, for all your research and efforts!

  5. Thanks Doug for your research and love of the area. That old bank building was a beautiful structure.
    I enjoyed seeing the former Katz in the backround. Lets hope it gets reinvented yet again.

    Karen

    • Thanks, John. I’m curious to know what year the bank was razed. I suspect I’ll have to find it in an old newspaper.

  9. Ian, I couldn’t agree more. With our 20/20 hindsight that original facade on Charlie Wilson’s Hardware looks very appealing.

  10. Doug, as usual thanks.

    A byproduct of this string of pictures is seeing the three facades of the building next door, modified over time. The 1931 picture (hardware store) is brick and interesting. The 50s/60s sees what appears to be a tan bricked over facade (Harpers), pretty boring. The 70’s era it becomes a Loans storefront with a more ‘modern’ facade. History unfolding, while the Bank stays the same in the pictures.

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