Lincoln National Bank Building / Hamlin Masonic Lodge No. 79

The Lincoln National Bank building is a two-story sandstone building featuring rusticated masonry. The building is constructed in a temple-front design and features Classical Revival themes of architecture. The original design was for a bank on the first floor and a meeting space on the second floor, with the bank president’s office located between the two floors. The architectural style is very reflective of an early twentieth century bank. During this period bankers were trying to convey a message of stability and trust after the cycles of economic panics in the 1800s. The standard tact taken by architects of banks was to create a distinct and commanding building near the center of town, one made of permanent and expensive materials. The use of stone, granite, or marble gave the banks a conservative and refined appearance and ensured that the buildings would not wear or look dilapidated quickly like cheaper materials might. The temple-front plan used in the Lincoln National Bank was a common design for bank buildings during this era.

Hamlin, WV was first settled in 1802 and natural resources such as coal, timber, and tobacco drove the initial development of the region. The town was officially laid out in 1867 when Lincoln County was formed and Hamlin was chosen as the county seat. In the late nineteenth century the growth of the timber industry caused a population boom in Lincoln County and in the early twentieth century oil and gas became the leading industry after the Eureka Pipe Line opened a pump station in 1903. It was in the context of this population and commercial growth that the Lincoln National Bank was established in 1906. The following year the Bank purchased a lot of land from bank president Louis Sweetland to construct the building. From 1907 to 1961 the Lincoln National Bank operated on the first floor of the building and the Hamlin Masonic Lodge operated on the second floor. The Lodge was established in 1881 and met at the Sweetland General Store owned by Isaac Sweetland (located where the library is now). When the Lincoln National Bank was constructed they rented the second floor space.

In 1961 the Bank deeded the building to the Masonic Lodge for $10 with the condition that they would not rent it to another financial institution. For about two decades, the Lodge leased the first floor to the police department. In the 1980s the police department moved to their own building and the Masons began using the entire building. Most of the exterior of the building retains its original design; however, much of the interior walls, floors, and ceilings have been covered with modern alterations. 

“National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Lincoln National Bank.” Accessed October 29, 2020. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/lincoln/15000842.pdf.