Pan American National Bank of East Los Angeles

This bank building was constructed in 1965 for what is now the oldest Latino-owned bank in California. The bank was co-founded in the year prior by Romano Acosta Banuelos, who later became the first Latina to serve as the U.S. Treasurer (1971 to 1974). Thousands showed up in April 1966 for the bank's grand opening celebration. The mosaic mural in the five tall arched bays near the entrance, titled "Our Past, Our Present, and Our Future," was created in 1966 by Mexican artist Jose Reyes Meza. The mural was one of the earliest of its type in the area and influenced others to create similar murals in what became the Chicano mural movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The Pan American National Bank of East Los Angeles became a National Register of Historic Places listing in 2017 after being nominated by the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Pan American National Bank was co-founded in 1964 by Romano Acosta Banuelos (1925-2018), a successful businesswoman who started out selling tortillas with her aunt in 1947. Banuelos partnered with a group of local businessmen and investors to found the bank to serve the growing Latino population in East Los Angeles and the Boyle Heights neighborhood of L.A. The bank offered Spanish and English-speaking employees and aimed to serve the under-represented and under-served local consumers and small businesses. Banuelos, who established the business Ramona's Mexican Food Products, later became the first Latina U.S. Treasurer, under President Richard Nixon, from 1971 to 1974.

The bank building was designed by architect Raymond Stockdale in New Formalist style. Construction on the 7,500-square-foot building began in August 1965. While the bank was being built, a trailer on the site functioned as a temporary bank. Francisco Bravo, M.D., was the bank's first president, with George L. Russell as vice president. The grand opening celebration in April 1966 drew a crowd of 12,000. The crowd was entertained by Ballet Folklorico, with television and radio star Lupita Moran acting as mistress of ceremonies.

The main facade faced north onto E. First St. The first five bays from the corner featured tall arches. The third arch contained the main entrance with recessed double doors. The top half of each arched bay contained a mosaic mural titled "Our Past, Our Present, and Our Future," created in 1966 by Mexican artist Jose Reyes Meza in his Byzantine Studio in Cuernavaca, Mexico. In the mid-2010s, the mural was restored by a local artist, Willie Herron III. The east side of the bank building, fronting on S. Townsend Ave., was solid except for narrow slit windows and a deposit box window. Inside, the building featured a terrazzo tile floor, onyx detailing at teller windows, handmade Aztec-inspired chandeliers, and Mexican hand-carved chairs and tapestries. The bank's trademark included a Mayan pyramid. The total cost of the building was approximately $250,000.

Pan American Bank ran into financial difficulties and was bailed out in 2014 by sixteen banks who contributed $6.3 million to recapitalize the cash-strapped bank. In return, the sixteen, led by PacWest Bancorp, became lesser shareholders. The largest shareholder, however, remained a Banuelos family trust. Before the deal, Pan American was down to one branch, 22 employees, and $41 million in assets and was unable to offer loans.

The bank building was listed in the National Register in 2017 for its importance in art, commerce, and Hispanic heritage. The bank was associated with the growth of the Mexican American community in East Los Angeles post-World War II and with the career of Ms. Banuelos. The mosaic mural was one of the earliest of its type in the East L.A. area and influenced others to create similar murals in what became the Chicano mural movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

The building still houses the main office of Pan American Bank in the east (smaller) half of the L-shaped building. The west (larger) half of the L-shaped building contains part of a podiatry office (New Hope Podiatry Group) that includes an adjacent building along E. First St.

Chiland, Elijah. East LA Bank Building Wins National Designation, Curbed Los Angeles. April 9th, 2017. Accessed July 26th, 2023. https://la.curbed.com/2017/4/9/15237784/pan-american-bank-east-los-angeles-historic-register.

Dominguez, Laura. NRHP nomination of Pan American National Bank of East Los Angeles, California. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 2016.

Gnerre, Sam. "South Bay History: Romana Acosta Banuelos' successful Gardena food company led her to bigger things." Daily Breeze (Los Angeles) June 21st, 2022. Local News sec.

Los Angeles Conservancy. Pan American Bank, Explore L.A.: Historic Places. January 1st, 2020. Accessed July 26th, 2023. https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/pan-american-bank.

New Hope Podiatry Group. Our Locations, New Hope Podiatry Group. January 1st, 2023. Accessed July 27th, 2023. https://www.newhopepodiatrygroup.com/our-locations/.

Reckard, E. Scott. "East L.A.'s Pan American Bank gets $6-million bailout from other banks." Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles) July 23rd, 2014. Business sec.