First National Bank Building
Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded on April 9, 1889, the First National Bank of Beaumont enjoyed an economic revitalization in the 1930s after the area's second major oil boom. A special meeting of the bank's board of directors was held on January 16, 1935, to discuss plans to erect a new building. Present at the meeting were board members W. C. Gilbert, P. B. Doty, E. E. Plumly, C. H. Cambers, T. F. Rothwell, J. S. Gordon, W. P. H. McFaddin, Dr. Tom Andrus, Stuart Smith, H. A. Dodd, J. H. Phelan, Robert Corley, C. E. Broussard, and T. S. Reed. The two architectural firms of Steinman, Steinman, & Goldman and Stone & Pitts were chosen to design the new building, and the construction contract was awarded to the Knutson Construction Company. The bank moved into the building in February 1937, with armed guards employed to move the cash deposits. Outstanding features of the art deco limestone and granite building include stepped-back massing and decorative friezes depicting various aspects of banking and such local industries as shipping, lumber, agriculture, and oil. The bank continued to operate in this building until 1963, when it moved to new facilities across the street. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
First National Bank of Beaumont, founded in 1889, rode a second great oil boom to prosperity in the 1930s and decided to build a headquarters worthy of it. Completed in 1937, the Art Deco tower of limestone and granite rose in stepped-back massing, its friezes celebrating the very industries — shipping, lumber, agriculture, and oil — that filled its vaults. When the bank moved in, armed guards escorted the cash across town.
Why it matters
The building is a monument to the Texas oil economy of the early 20th century, when petroleum wealth reshaped Gulf Coast cities and their skylines almost overnight.
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Related events
- · Beaumont oil boom
Themes & tags
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