History of Farmers and Drovers Bank
On March 22, 1882, the Farmers and
Drovers Bank of Council Grove, Kansas,
opened its doors to the community. Its
first location was 213 West Main Street.
Under the leadership of W.H. White,
organization of the bank had begun two
months earlier on January 26, 1882 in
the Masonic Hall with seven men present;
W. H. White, Lewis Mead, Jacob Barth,
Henry Gildemeister, J.W. Dumm, J.M. Henson,
and Adam Moser, Jr. W.H. White was chosen president.
By 1887, the economy was prospering and the Board of Directors began discussing plans for a new bank building and purchased the lot at 201 West Main Street. But the economic conditions declined, and the directors' minutes record no more discussion of a new building until March 8, 1892. At that annual meeting it was voted to erect a suitable bank building on the east 25 feet of the lot purchased in 1887. May 10, 1892, plans and specifications submitted by C.W. Squires, an architect from Emporia, were adopted. The construction contract was let to F. Roussellet in the amount of $10,130. The new building was carefully designed to be impressive and at the same time give preference to local contractors. Lewis Peterson was the bricklayer, Jack Jones did the stone work, and F. Rousselet and son, Joseph, crafted the oak woodwork. Furniture for the new building was made in Garnett, Kansas, and transported to Council Grove.
The building is one of the most ornate buildings
in the community. The "Eclectic" style, two story
red brick building with limestone trim features
Romanesque limestone arches over half round
stained glass windows on the first floor and a
combination of arched half round and square
stained glass windows on the second story.
The corner entrance features marble engaged
columns, radiating limestone voussoirs, and
steps to a raised floor level. A decorative metal
cornice with raised name and date, a Bysantine
dome, and alternating spaces and minarets
complete the exterior decoration of the building.
The interior teller areas were decorative wood
cabinetry with raised panels and marble counters.
One of these counters is now located in the
Council Grove Republican office. In the 1940's
the interior was "modernized" with marble panels
on the lower walls and around the teller areas.
The decorative metal ceiling was an addition in
the early 1900's.
An article in the Council Grove Guard on February
17, 1893, noted that every room in the new bank
building was rented, even though the building
would not be completed for several weeks, and
on February 24, the Guard stated that painters
were working on the interior of the bank building. The building was first occupied by its owners and tenants on March 3, 1893. Offices in the second floor were first occupied by two dentists, H.W. Goodrel and S.E. Northington, and a law firm of Bertram and Nicholson. A newspaper, the Council Grove Guard occupied a part of the basement, and an advertisement in the Guard, May 15, 1893, announced, "The Summit Café, under the Farmers and Drovers Bank is now open." Proprietor was L.E. Hadley. When completed, the two-story building cost an estimated $20,000.
On June 10, 1892, a news article in the Council Grove Republican reported during excavation for the new bank building, a stone was unearthed with the following inscription on the face: U.S.M
J. Hall
COR.
"On this ground is where the old Santa Fe stage
station stood, and this lock is one of the corner
stones of the mail contractor's sections of land
located every twenty miles on the mail route.
This land was in controversy several years ago
between Hall heirs and the Town Company, but the
case was decided in favor of the Town Company."
Having the year before sold the building at 213 West Main Street to D.A. Gregory, the Board of Directors in January, 1902, resolved to set aside the sum of $10,000 to be used in erecting an addition to the bank building and the purchase of the lot adjacent to the bank building.
The building was constructed as a
compliment to the bank building with red
brick and limestone courses and arches over
the windows, which repeat the arches and
courses on the bank building. Early
newspaper articles in 1902 refer to the
construction of the "new bank building",
calling it a "fine addition to our business
blocks and a credit to our community".
Louis Peterson was one of the contractors
for this building. The first floor was a store room and was first occupied by the Indicator, a general store owned by Lloyd and Hubbard. Early in 1903, the Board of Directors directed "the second story of the Store Room be 'fitted up' for a lodge room and a stairway be built in back of the bank room." This lodge room was rented in 1904 to the Knights and Ladies of Security, a fraternal beneficiary society which later became Security Benefit Life Insurance Company whose home offices are now located in Topeka, Kansas. The room became known locally as Security Hall, presumably because of its first occupants. The large Hall, which the bank made available for civic gatherings, was popular meeting place until the late 1930's or 40's. Many news articles and local residents recall numerous activities in Security Hall, such as church services and dinners, special meetings and dinners of clubs and organizations, community and high school dances, and social parties.
The bank was the scene of a robbery March 2, 1926, when 3 unmasked bandits locked 11 persons in the vault, including W. H. White, and escaped with $5,000. The bandits, the Flagell gang, were caught, tried and convicted two years later.
The 1940's saw an extensive remodeling of the bank interior, and in 1956, the back vault was added, providing more safe-deposit boxes as well as more general vault area.
Like most other downtown businesses,
the bank was often plagued with flood water,
but the construction of the Federal Reservoir
put an end to that problem, and in 1976, the
basement was renovated to house the
bookkeeping department, and a new computer
to handle the continually expanding needs.
In 1971, the bank was honored with the distinction of having its unique building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is recognized for its architectural integrity and the importance of the bank and its building to the community. Ten years later, that nomination was amended to include the Indicator Building because of its relationship to the bank, both visually and historically.
A look at statement figures reveals the growth of the bank from the Initial Statement figures.
In November 1981, the bank celebrated, with
a two-day open house, the extensive
restoration and renovation of the bank
building. During this work, the wall between
the bank building and the Indicator building
was opened making the two buildings one.
The teller area was relocated in the Indicator
building to allow a ground level entrance,
and an extended hours walk-up teller window
was provided for customer convenience. The former area was converted to offices, and the basement under the Indicator building was renovated to handle the expanded bookkeeping needs. Great attention was paid to detail and the historic aspects of the building, both inside and out, resulting in a structure as beautiful and impressive as it was the day it was built.
Condensed Statements of FARMERS & DROVERS BANK Council Grove, Kansas
(The Initial Statement)
APRIL 1, 1882
RESOURCES
Loans and Discounts ....................................
Due from other Banks ....................................
Bank Bldg. & Furniture ...................................
Expenses paid .................................................
Cash on hand ................................................
TOTAL ....................................................
LIABILITIES
Capital Stock paid ......................................
Demand Deposits ........................................
Profits ............................................................
TOTAL .....................................................
March 31, 1996
RESOURCES
Loans .................................................
Less Allowance for loan loss ....................
Net Loans ............................................
Bank Building .............................................
Held-To-Maturity Securities ....................
Available-For-Sale Securities ..................
Federal Funds Sold .....................................
Cash & Due From Banks .........................
Other Assets ..........................................
Letters of Credit .........................................
TOTAL ...............................................
LIABILITIES
Capital ......................................................
Surplus ..................................................
Undivided Profits & Reserves ...................
Letters of Credit .........................................
Federal Funds Purchased ...........................
Other Liabilities ..........................................
Deposits ...............................................
TOTAL .................................................
Total Equity Capital ..............................
