The Louis Sullivan Bank Roundup

1906-1920 with the master

I’ve been meaning to publish a roundup of my beloved Sullivan banks. I was stymied a bit when I realized some of my photos were not stellar. However if I wait til I have better shots it probably won’t happen so here goes (words to live by).

We came across the West Lafayette bank by chance. I remember it’s striking green ornamentation catching my eye and making me pause. Wait, could that be? Then I became more fascinated the more we visited. I highly recommend a jaunt to experience these extraordinary structures, in particular the Owatonna and Sidney locations. They make for an almost an overwhelming sensory encounter.

National Farmers’ Bank

NE corner of Broadway Street and N.
Cedar Avenue, Owatonna, Minnesota

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1906–08

Peoples Savings Bank

101 Third Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1910–11

H. C. Adams & Company Land and Loan
Offices

NW corner of Moore and State Streets,
Algona, Iowa

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1913

Merchants National Bank

NW corner of 4th Avenue and Broad
Street, Grinnell, Iowa

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1913–14

Purdue State Bank

Intersection of State, South, and Vine
Streets, West Lafayette, Indiana

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1913–14

Can you think of a more egregious way to remodel the entrance?

Home Building Association

NW corner of Main and 3rd Streets,
Newark, Ohio

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1914–15

Peoples’ Savings and Loan Association

SE corner of Court Street and Ohio
Avenue, Sidney, Ohio

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1916–18

Farmers’ & Merchants’ Union Bank

159 W. James Street, Columbus,
Wisconsin

Louis H. Sullivan, built 1919–20

Such beauty coming from a man at such a low point in his life (Chicagolandarchitecture.substack.com).

“Form ever follows function”, he said, but I don’t know if it ever followed so beautifully for anyone else.

Onward.

Love,
Cynthia

special thank to Ed and Mary for making it possible to bag the last few!!