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Old Second National Bank

Coordinates: 41°45′28″N 88°19′6″W / 41.75778°N 88.31833°W / 41.75778; -88.31833
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Old Second National Bank
Old Second National Bank in 2012
Old Second National Bank is located in Illinois
Old Second National Bank
Old Second National Bank is located in the United States
Old Second National Bank
Location37 S. River St
Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, United States
Coordinates41°45′28″N 88°19′6″W / 41.75778°N 88.31833°W / 41.75778; -88.31833
Built1924; 100 years ago (1924)
ArchitectGeorge Grant Elmslie
Architectural stylePrairie School
NRHP reference No.79000840[1]
Added to NRHPMay 8, 1979

The Old Second National Bank of Aurora is a historic building in Aurora, Illinois. It was designed in the Prairie School style by George Grant Elmslie, and was one of his last commissions.

History

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The Old Second National Bank of Aurora was designed by George Grant Elmslie in 1924. The Prairie School style of design was, at this point, already a fading trend. Elmslie was nearing the end of his career and began to accept commissions for commercial buildings. Elmslie recruited sculptor Emil Settler, muralist John W. Norton, and sculptor Kristian Schneider to assist him with the design.[2]

The bank building was a departure from previous Elmslie designs. Instead of focusing on horizontal patterns, this building attempted to integrate vertical patterns into a Prairie School design. The bank is built with Roman brick on a pink granite foundation. The building is topped with a saddleback roof with red tile. Ten brick columns rise from the foundation to the roof. Only the south side of the building features exterior details and ornaments. The narrow cornice is terra cotta and follows the gable. John Norton painted a three-panel mural of 1830s Aurora on the north side of the building's interior. A red tile floor was intended to resemble a large oriental rug. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1979.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Illinois Historic Preservation Agency