Commercial Bank and Banker's House

Introduction

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Erected in the mid-1830s, the Commercial Bank and Banker's House is one of the most unusual buildings in Natchez. It consists of a former bank, which faces Main Street, and an attached house in the back where the banker lived. As of 2020, it appears that the bank part of the building is unused and that the house is a private residence.

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The Commercial Bank and Banker's House was erected in the mid 1830s. It is notable for combining a bank and residence in one structure..

Backstory and Context

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The building is notable for its architecture and dual use as a commercial and residential property. The bank portion of the buildings is a simple yet striking example of Greek Revival architecture. It features a gray marble facade and four large Ionic columns supporting a pediment. It is, apparently, the only building in the state erected in the antebellum period with such a facade. The house features Doric columns at its main entrance and is visible along Canal Street. The fact that the building features two aspects of Greek Revival architecture is what makes it unique.

The person who constructed the building was banker Thomas Henderson. The exact date when he built it is unclear but he did so between 1833 and 1836. Another banker, Levin R. Marshall, helped establish the bank and he, apparently, served as president for many years. Exactly which banker lived in the house or when Marshall was president is unclear. In more recent times, the bank portion was used as a Christian Science church. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and is also a National Historic Landmark.

Sources

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1999. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Biographical_and_Historical_Memoirs_of_M/eMX-Snn_mEsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA397&printsec=frontcover.

"Commercial Bank Building." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed November 19, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=79346.

"Commercial Bank and Banker's House." National Park Service - National Historic Landmarks Program. Retrieved from the WebArchive on November 19, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20040616223703/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1516&ResourceType=Building.

"Commercial Bank, Natchez." Preservation Mississippi. Accessed November 19, 2020. https://misspreservation.com/101-mississippi-places-to-see-before-you-die/commercial-bank-natchez.

Goeldner, Paul. "First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Banker's House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. May 30, 1974. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/3061bec1-2cec-4eba-ba61-1d47f0b50b1a.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natchez4Sept2008CommercialBank.jpg

Additional Information

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Banker's House