The New Bank Building
Bird City, Kansas
1925-1926
The construction of a new, unique bank building began in October of 1925, on lot 13 - block 29 in Bird City. The construction of this building was described in the newspaper, Bird City Times from October, 1925 through April, 1926.
Bird City Times - October 1, 1925
Our New Home
C. R. Howk bought the 2-story building adjoining the Bird City State Bank Building on the east and will remove it on his lots just west of the Griffin Lumber Company offices. He is now digging a basement for it which when completed will be the new home of the Bird City Times. Plenty of windows will be put in and when completed will make a dandy, clean home.
The Times intends to put in more equipment and supplies and will that way be able to give better service along with all printing demands.
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Bird City Times - October 1, 1925
Bird City Bank Building Being Moved This Week
The old Bird City State Bank Building is being moved this week to the north end of the lot in order to make room on the corner for a new two-story brick building soon to be built there. The bank will occupy the first floor while the second floor will be the Odd Fellows Hall. This bank will have a large lobby, director's room, deposit box vault and a ladies restroom. With this building on one corner and the Farmer's State Bank on the opposite corner, won' t Bird City look like a metropolis?
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Bird City Times - October 15, 1925
Bird City State Bank Building
Excavating for the new Bird City State Bank building will start just as soon as the old building is removed. This building is going up in spite of the cold weather coming on.
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Bird City Times - October 22, 1925
A New Bank Building Started
The new two-story building which used to adjoin the old Bird City State Bank building on the east was moved by its present owner - C.R. Howk, to the lots directly west of the Griffin Lumber Co. As soon as it was moved off of the bank lot - the bank started excavating for the new bank building which when finished will be a great improvement to Bird City.
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Bird City Times - December 17, 1925
Bank Vault Up
The vault in the Bird City State Bank building is now up having been finished Saturday. The men all had to work until late Saturday getting it finished and it certainly looked like the great white way with all the bright lights shining around. This completes the cement work on this building and now the brick walls will go up rapidly.
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Bird City Times - December 24, 1925
New Bank Building
Work on the new Bird City Bank building is progressing as rapidly as weather will permit. The walls are now part way up and it will certainly be a fine building when completed. The west side will have arched windows and the south side will have three or four large windows. The white brick used along with the dark brick sets off the beauty of the building in great shape.
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Bird City Times - January 21, 1926
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Bank Building Progressing
The new Bird City Bank building is going up rapidly and right now the masons are working on the second story. This story will be used as the odd fellow's hall and when complete will certainly be one of the best lodge rooms in this part of the state.
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Bird City Times - April 29, 1926
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Bird City State Bank Sold
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Last Thursday, the Bird City State Bank was purchased by the Farmer's State Bank and by the consolidation, it will make one of the largest banks in this part of the state. The officers of the Farmer 's State Bank will remain the same, and Mrs. Clare McNitt is now employed in this bank. It has not been decided definitely who will occupy the new bank building.
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Unfortunately, after many days of dedicated research, we were unable to find who actually constructed it.
In 1926, the upper rooms of the building were leased to the Odd Fellows ' Lodge. According to the Cheyenne County Register of Deeds, the lot 13, block 29 was registered to John A. Anderson in April 1926 and later in 1926, Anderson sold it to John Rambat. In 1929, John and Anna Rambat sold the lot 13 to the Security State Bank.
We have been unable to find any records of use during the remaining months of 1926, 27, 28 or until November of 1929. The only reference to this was an article in the Bird City Times, as follows:
April 29, 1926 - "Last Thursday, the Farmers' State Bank purchased the Bird City State Bank. It has not been decided definitely who will occupy the new bank building. Many other business transactions have taken place the past ten days."
In 1928, the Farmers' State Bank closed leaving the town of Bird City without a bank until November 1, 1929.
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