National Register of Historic Places

Peoples Nationals Bank

Pella, Marion County, Iowa
Listed
April 20, 2010
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
10000202

About this property

Peoples National Bank is a historic building located in Pella, Iowa, United States. It is significant for its association with Herman Rietveld, a local booster and civic leader during the Progressive Era. Completed in 1905, the building was designed for Rietveld's progressive ideas that called for dense occupancy which lead to efficiency and lowered the building's costs. When it opened the building housed two banks, two newspaper offices, a printing plant, and space for other offices on the second floor. Rietveld, along with John Rhynsberger and B. H. Van Spanckeren, founded the banks at the time the building was completed. They failed ten years later because of bad business decisions. The building was acquired the following year by the City of Pella who converted it for use as a city hall beginning in 1917. It served that purpose until 2007. This too was an expression of the Progressive era as it consolidated the various functions of the local government in one location symbolizing efficiency and economy. The building's design is attributed to local architect Stanley DeGoyer, of which little is known. George Heeren, a local cabinet maker, provided the interior woodwork and some of the furniture. While none of his furniture has been identified in the building, the Art Nouveau staircase leading to the basement is his work. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. The designation also includes the life-size cast concrete dog statues at the main entrance. They are commercial art castings that the banks used in their advertising.

Location

717 Main St.
Pella, Marion County, Iowa
41.40609, -92.91657

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Van Maren, Henry and Johanna, House-Diamond Filling Station
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0 mi
Pella Opera House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Pella High School
Industrial
0.1 mi
Scholte, Dominie Henry P., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
First Christian Church
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Peoples Nationals Bank listed on the National Register?

Peoples Nationals Bank was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 20, 2010.

What type of historic resource is Peoples Nationals Bank?

Peoples Nationals Bank is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Peoples Nationals Bank?

The period of significance for Peoples Nationals Bank is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Peoples Nationals Bank?

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