Old West Branch State Bank Building

Old West Branch State Bank Building

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

OPEN TO PUBLIC:

No

MANAGED BY:

Private

Amenities

1 listed

Audio Description

This large brick structure, built in 1916, housed the West Branch State Bank (previously named West Branch Bank). It replaced a bank building (circa 1877) that stood on the same site, but was razed to make room for the new, larger building. The bank took temporary quarters across the street during construction. It then occupied this building until 1974. Fred Albin rented the back for his meat market until 1924. The West Branch Telephone Company shared the second floor with Hubbard & Hubbard Chiropractors.

Dr. William H. Walker

Local dentist Dr. William H. Walker, had his office in the 1877 bank building that preceded the present one. Young Herbert Hoover and his friends often visited to marvel at his collection of unusual house plants, singing canaries, books, and of interesting things like a saw fish’s blade, shark’s teeth and many examples of interesting rocks. Dr. Walker was an amateur geologist, and by his recollection, Young Bert would come to the office and they would look at rocks and talk about them.