Farmers' Bank (Petersburg, Virginia)

Farmers' Bank is the first bank museum of its kind found in Virginia.[3] Farmers' Bank was incorporated in 1812 and the Petersburg, Virginia branch opened in 1817.

Farmers' Bank
Farmers' Bank in Petersburg
Farmers' Bank (Petersburg, Virginia) is located in Virginia
Farmers' Bank (Petersburg, Virginia)
Farmers' Bank (Petersburg, Virginia) is located in the United States
Farmers' Bank (Petersburg, Virginia)
LocationNW corner of Bollingbrook St. and Cockade Alley, Petersburg, Virginia
Coordinates37°13′57″N 77°24′15″W
Area9 acres (3.6 ha)
Built1817
Architectural styleFederal
NRHP reference No.72001515 [1]
VLR No.123-0067
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 13, 1972
Designated VLRJanuary 18, 1972[2]

History

The three-story building, built in the Federal style, was a frequent meeting place for the community.[3] The first floor held the banking area, including the vault, while the third floor was home to the bank manager and his family.[4] The bank maintained operations through the American Civil War and closed by order of the Virginia General Assembly in 1866.[5]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1] It is located in the Petersburg Old Town Historic District.

Preservation

The property served various functions throughout the next hundred years, until it was acquired by Preservation Virginia in the 1960s. Preservation Virginia undertook restoration of the building, and reopened it as a museum and visitors center.

The building now houses the Petersburg Visitors Center.[6] Visitors can see a printing press and scales for weighing gold.[3] The living quarters on the third floor has also been restored.[3]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  3. Preserving Virginia 1889-1989: Centennial Pictorial. Virginia: The Art Band. 1989. p. 15.
  4. "Farmers' Bank". Preservation Virginia. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  5. Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (January 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Farmers' Bank" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying photo
  6. "Friends of the historic Farmers Bank forms recently". The Progress-Index. October 6, 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2015.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.