Ladora Savings Bank

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Ladora Savings Bank
Ladora Savings Bank.jpg
Street view
Ladora Savings Bank is located in Iowa
Ladora Savings Bank
Location811 Pacific St., Ladora, Iowa, United States
Coordinates41°45′17″N 92°11′1″W / 41.75472°N 92.18361°W / 41.75472; -92.18361Coordinates: 41°45′17″N 92°11′1″W / 41.75472°N 92.18361°W / 41.75472; -92.18361
Built1920
ArchitectWilliam Lightner, Charles B. Zalesky
Architectural styleClassical Revival
NRHP reference No.90001196[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 3, 1990

The Ladora Savings Bank is a historic structure along U.S. Route 6 in Ladora, Iowa, United States. Constructed in 1920, it was closed when the bank that built it failed in the Great Depression, leaving it to be used by a succession of businesses. It was occupied by a restaurant, the Ladora Bank Bistro, but that closed down in February of 2019. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places[2] since August 3, 1990.

Structure[]

Designed by William Lightner and Charles B. Zalesky, the masonry Neoclassically-styled building included two substantial Doric columns in its facade and several tall windows on the sides.[1][3] The structure originally included restrooms (including an outside exit for women to use discreetly), which were an unusual feature; at its opening, the bank promoted these restrooms to its customers.[4] Among its interior features visible to the public were marble counters, wooden floors, and paintings on the wall, while massive vaults were built to protect valuables; recent renovations have restored these features, most of which still remain.[5]

History[]

The Ladora Savings Bank building was dedicated on July 26, 1920.[4] The bank survived the tumultuous economic times of the 1920s, but it could not withstand the Great Depression, which led to its closure on July 27, 1931. The building remained a center of life in Ladora: during various times in its history, it served as a community center, housing a Red Cross office during World War II and a civil defense shelter during the Cold War; it was also a polling place for many years. It was also a commercial building at certain points in its history, housing at various times an insurance salesman's office, an attorney's office, an antique shop, and a rest area for truck drivers traveling along U.S. 6.[6] During this period, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, being included primarily for its architecture.[1]

Reopening[]

After some years of inactivity, the bank building was purchased in October 2004 by businessman Dimitri Makedonsky, who also owns properties around the bank. Dimitri proceeded to renovate the building: replacing the roof, redesigning the interior, and gradually restoring the interior to an appearance similar to that of a bank from the 1920s. Hoping to open a restaurant in the building, he refurbished several major side rooms: as the celebrated original restrooms no longer functioned, they were turned into museum rooms, while the bank's substantial vault became a lounge. The restaurant opened on May 15, 2008. After over a decade of operating as The Ladora Bank Bistro, the building now houses an Iowa Caucus themed bistro named Caucus Bistro. [4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ Wundram, Bill. "Bank bistro gives Ladora something to sing about". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  3. ^ Pictures of the front[permanent dead link] and sides[permanent dead link] of the building.
  4. ^ a b c "Bistro in the Bank"[permanent dead link], , spring (May?) 2008. Accessed 2008-12-23.
  5. ^ Historic Bank on US 6 Reopens Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Des Moines Register via Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance News. Original story published 2008-08-31, posted to IHPA website on 2008-09-01. Accessed 2008-12-23.
  6. ^ Bank History Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine, Ladora Bank Bistro. Accessed 2008-12-23.

External links[]

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