Washington Trust Building

Standing in the center of downtown, the original structure of the Trust Building is six-stories tall and erected in 1903. A taller, ten-story addition was later connected to the back of the original, Beaux Arts style building in 1927. The original portion of the building served as the headquarters of the Washington Trust Company. The company needed more room from its original location because of the expanding banking sector in the area due to the increase in coal and oil extraction. The first floor of the new building housed the bank, meanwhile other professionals occupied the upper floors. Its proximity to the county courthouse made the building a popular place for legal professionals as well. However, the Washington Trust Company closed in 1931 when it failed to survive the Great Depression. The building was owned by a succession of banks until it was sold to a development group in 2013. Even though the downtown area of Washington suffers from low occupancy, the Washington Trust Company is still home to many of the town’s professional offices, as well as a bank still on the first floor. In 2012, the Washington County Redevelopment Authority announced Trek Development's development plans for the building, including commercial space, retail, and up to 44 apartments.