[Former] Commercial Bank Building
Ca. 1905.
Pressed brick two-story commercial structure divided into two distinct sections. Three rough-faced stone piers with corbeled and pointed caps at corners and between building sections. Narrow stone string courses. Keystones in flat lintels above windows in southernmost storefront. A stone arch in northern storefront projects up into the second story. Storefronts modernized.
On January 23, 1905, the Commercial Bank of Hendersonville was officially incorporated (Fain, p. 348). The construction of the building began in early February, and was hailed as Hendersonville's second bank. The Feb. 9, 1905 French Broad Hustler notes that "work on the new bank has begun.” Apparently this bank became the First National Bank of Hendersonville, and stayed in this building until the summer of 1909. The French Broad Hustler of July 29, 1909 records the reopening of another bank in this same building, the Wanteska Trust and Banking Company. The First National Bank moved into a new building located at the present site of the Northwestern Bank. The Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad Hustler edition of January 2, 1918 mentioned the consolidation of the First National Bank and the Wanteska Trust to form The First Bank and Trust Company. (Fain erroneously dates this merger as 1913.)
Photo from 1987.
HISTORIC MARKER PLACED 2009:
Commercial Bank Building ca. 1905 Commercial Bank, the town's second, occupied the northern protion of the building until merging with First National Bank. The Wanteska Trust & Banking Company operated here from 1909 to 1919. Other tenants hae been La Vogue Hat Shop, Patterson's Women's Wear and in the southern storfront W.H.Hawkins & Sons, Jewelry/Optometrist and Pattersons's Men's Shop.