"It would seem only fitting that when we first walked through our store space in the fall of 2019, we would find nothing less than the treasures of the past. And when I say treasures, I'm not just talking metaphorically."
It's fair to say, we have an affinity for old buildings with interesting histories. In 2017, we purchased a turn of the century farmhouse outside of Ellsworth, a home we could not be more in love with, even with all of it's lack of right angles, level floors, and hidden secrets behind dated faux-wood paneling. It would seem only fitting that when we first walked through our store space in the fall of 2019, we would find nothing less than the treasures of the past. And when I say treasures, I'm not just talking metaphorically. Old titles, deposit slips, records of the contents of safety deposit boxes, are the actual treasures from village residents of the past. Once we decided we had fallen head-over-heels for yet another historical property, there really was only one thing left to do, so we bought an old bank.
The History
I haven't been able to find a photo of the Citizen's State Bank that opened at this location in the early 1900's, but we have been able to piece together some details from the title history that was handed off to us by the previous owners. We've also found many different names of the residents who used the bank's services on a wealth of old deposit slips that were found in the basement safe. Documents that the previous owners told us they had to use shovels to clear out. What was left behind we gave free reign to take to the Pierce County Historical society, a few friends with interest in vintage papers, and some of the current bank workers in town who have a particular interest in bank history. We kept a nice collection of various documents for ourselves, to use in ways that honor the history of our building.
Citizen's State Bank purchased the land to build it's bank from Christian and Johanna Sorensen for $1500 in October of 1910. It is likely that once the basement safe was in place, the basement was built around it and the floor built over it. On the ground level, the upstairs safe would have been built first, and the remainder of the building built around that. When we had our initial inspection, it was conveyed to us that, because security systems at that time did not exist as we know them today, a bank's security system was super thick, concrete walls, which has created a strong foundation for a building that has the potential to stand for centuries more. The safe's ceilings were erected with almost a dome-like shape. This shape was purposely done so that if a bomb were to go off, the ceiling would not collapse. That information came to me from the brain of a curious 10-year-old .
The History
I haven't been able to find a photo of the Citizen's State Bank that opened at this location in the early 1900's, but we have been able to piece together some details from the title history that was handed off to us by the previous owners. We've also found many different names of the residents who used the bank's services on a wealth of old deposit slips that were found in the basement safe. Documents that the previous owners told us they had to use shovels to clear out. What was left behind we gave free reign to take to the Pierce County Historical society, a few friends with interest in vintage papers, and some of the current bank workers in town who have a particular interest in bank history. We kept a nice collection of various documents for ourselves, to use in ways that honor the history of our building.
Citizen's State Bank purchased the land to build it's bank from Christian and Johanna Sorensen for $1500 in October of 1910. It is likely that once the basement safe was in place, the basement was built around it and the floor built over it. On the ground level, the upstairs safe would have been built first, and the remainder of the building built around that. When we had our initial inspection, it was conveyed to us that, because security systems at that time did not exist as we know them today, a bank's security system was super thick, concrete walls, which has created a strong foundation for a building that has the potential to stand for centuries more. The safe's ceilings were erected with almost a dome-like shape. This shape was purposely done so that if a bomb were to go off, the ceiling would not collapse. That information came to me from the brain of a curious 10-year-old .
Citizen's Sate Bank operated until 1930, when it sold out to Bank of Ellsworth, for $3500. It remained a bank until 1969, when it was sold to private investors for $9500. In 1971 it was sold to the Pierce County Veterinary Clinic, organized by Dr. Larry Traynor, for $11,000. From what I can gather, it stayed in their hands until 1999. When people come to the shop now, they often share their memories of the vet clinic, and Dr. Traynor, along with other stories of what used to bring them to downtown Ellsworth; clothing, hardware, groceries; this used to be quite a happening part of town! We're not clear what happened after 1999, until the previous owners purchased the building around 2006 to open a mortgage company that suffered the fate of so many others when the 2012 housing bubble burst. They made a go of a cute consignment shop for a short time before relocating to another part of the state. Before we got here, the building had been being used for storage for about 6 years. We are so fortunate the previous owners took good care of the space, continued to pay their taxes, and make it possible for us to move in with just a few cosmetic upgrades.
What We've Found
From the days of the old bank to the days of consignment, there is no end to the gifts we continue to receive from this building to make our shop unique and tell it's stories. We've discovered creative uses for a number of interesting things we have found. If you've purchased products on our website, you have received a handwritten note written on a blank deposit slip dated from the 1920's in your package. We have a stack of at least 50 of these blank notepads in the basement safe and use them not only for orders, but also as to-do lists and entry forms into our Superfan of the Month drawings. Last May, when we couldn't gather with our neighbors due to the pandemic, we surprised everyone with a May Day gift box left on their porch, wrapped up in linen-covered boxes that were once used to store old bank notes. For Chris' quarantine birthday last April, we wrapped his gift in more old papers we found in the safe. Those same papers were laminated and cut to use for product price tags, and as reusable labels for refill-center product. I am continually amazed at how well these papers have weathered over a century of storage in an otherwise damp, musty basement. They sure did know how to build a safe!
What We've Found
From the days of the old bank to the days of consignment, there is no end to the gifts we continue to receive from this building to make our shop unique and tell it's stories. We've discovered creative uses for a number of interesting things we have found. If you've purchased products on our website, you have received a handwritten note written on a blank deposit slip dated from the 1920's in your package. We have a stack of at least 50 of these blank notepads in the basement safe and use them not only for orders, but also as to-do lists and entry forms into our Superfan of the Month drawings. Last May, when we couldn't gather with our neighbors due to the pandemic, we surprised everyone with a May Day gift box left on their porch, wrapped up in linen-covered boxes that were once used to store old bank notes. For Chris' quarantine birthday last April, we wrapped his gift in more old papers we found in the safe. Those same papers were laminated and cut to use for product price tags, and as reusable labels for refill-center product. I am continually amazed at how well these papers have weathered over a century of storage in an otherwise damp, musty basement. They sure did know how to build a safe!
Next time you're in the shop, please don't hesitate to ask us to see our main floor safe-turned-perfect-storage-unit. We love the conversations that are sparked when someone excitedly gets to write their name on one of the old deposit slips. Our community has a rich, beautiful history and we are excited to be a part of this generation's story. Who knows what this building may become in the next 100 years, but we're thrilled to be a part of that conversation well into the future.
RSS Feed