Placer County Bank
Also known as: Bank of California; Union Bank of California
Why it's listed
Placer County Bank, at 874 Lincoln Way in Auburn, is a two-story concrete building completed in 1913 in the Beaux Arts style. Its south facade has three arched windows separated by Doric pilasters, terra cotta wreaths, a gold-leaf frieze naming the bank, and a metal cornice with dentils and sixteen lion heads. San Francisco architect Charles Kaiser Sumner designed it, and local builder George Herdal constructed it. A rear addition dates from the early 1950s. The bank was formed in 1887, moved from a small building in Old Town to this larger home as commerce shifted east toward the railroad, and merged with the Bank of California in 1955-56. It served mining, agricultural and logging interests, and in 1937 its branch reportedly shipped more gold to the San Francisco mint than any other California bank. The building was listed for its commercial importance to Auburn and as an example of Sumner's Beaux Arts work. It remains in use as a bank.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is locally significant under Criterion A for its role in Auburn's commercial growth as the home of a bank serving mining, agricultural and logging industries. It is also significant under Criterion C as an excellent Beaux Arts design by San Francisco architect Charles Kaiser Sumner. It is one of three Beaux Arts buildings in Auburn.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000941, listed December 19, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 874 Lincoln Way, Auburn |
|---|---|
| County | Placer County |
| Listed | December 19, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000941 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Sumner, Charles Kaiser - architect; Herdal, George - builder |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals - Beaux Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Economics, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well maintained and in excellent condition, still in use as a bank; interior remodeled in the 1990s and original bronze doors replaced with aluminum-framed glass doors. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.89967, -121.06931 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000941.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133413373
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.