Farmers and Merchants Bank of Fullerton

Standing on a prominent corner in Fullerton's historic commercial center, this two-story bank building dates to 1904 but takes its look from a 1922 remodel by architect Frank Benchley, who added a Beaux Arts facade over the original fabric. A diagonal corner entrance with a decorated parapet anchors the north and west fronts, which feature red clay tile roofs, classical and floral ornament, and honey-colored glazed terra cotta on the ground floor with granite bulkheads. Founded by the city's leading citizens, it was Fullerton's first bank and operated until 1944, later as a Bank of America branch. Its directors included prominent citrus growers, linking it to the industry that drove local prosperity. It is described as the only surviving Beaux Arts commercial building in the city. A 1989 rehabilitation altered some second-floor windows and the entrance location, yet the building retains enough integrity to show its architectural and historic importance.