National Farmer's Bank of Owatonna

National Farmer's Bank of Owatonna (HMFDK)

Location: Owatonna, MN 55060 Steele County
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Country: United States of America
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N 44° 5.076', W 93° 13.541'

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Inscription
Banker Carl Bennett wanted more than a prominent new building to house his family's business. He wanted a work of art. Bennett's search for an architect led him in 1906 to Louis Sullivan, one of the country' most inventive designers. Together they created a magnificent home for the National Farmers' Bank in the heart of downtown Owatonna. This brilliant collaboration of patron and architect produced what many consider the finest small-town bank in America.

After helping to make Chicago the country's architectural capital in the 1890's. Sullivan came through with a bank design for Owatonna unlike any other. Believing that function and form of a building should complement one another, he conceived a structure resembling a treasure chest, a fitting image for a bank that housed people's savings.

Sullivan chose for his bank a theme he used often - an arch within a square - then attached to it a rectangular office building. He combined those simple, monumental shapes with complex ornamental details that bring the building to life. Set in sandstone-and-brick walls are two huge stained-glass windows, each framed by a wide band of terra cotta- a hard, molded clay-accented by a narrow band of glass mosaic.

The architect did not create this masterpiece alone. His sketches were completed by his draftsmen, George Elmslie, who designed much of the ornamentation and went on to become a noted Minnesota architect. Joining them were a team of skilled craftsmen who created the ornate interior- "color symphony" of painted plaster, stained glass, and huge cast-iron chandeliers. The finished bank was dedicated in 1908.

Remodelings have altering some of the interior features. But much of the original splendor of Louis Sullivan's bank remains. In 1976 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Details
HM NumberHMFDK
Series This marker is part of the National Historic Landmarks series
Tags
Year Placed1999
Placed ByMinnesota Historical Society
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, August 31st, 2014 at 11:52pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)15T E 481931 N 4881294
Decimal Degrees44.08460000, -93.22568333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 44° 5.076', W 93° 13.541'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds44° 5' 4.56" N, 93° 13' 32.46" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)507
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 100-198 E Park Square, Owatonna MN 55060, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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