National Bank of San Mateo
Also known as: Crocker--Anglo Bank
Why it's listed
This two-story bank at 164 South B Street, on a corner in downtown San Mateo, was completed in 1924 from designs by architects William H. and Harold H. Weeks. Samuel Wisnom, grandson of one of the original bank founders, served as builder. Its front is divided into three bays framed by fluted pilasters on a marble base, with a classical entablature, balustrade, and a pink terra cotta entrance frame. The exterior survives largely as built, while the interior has been subdivided and stripped of most original fixtures. The building was listed for two reasons. It represents the era of small, locally owned banks, which gave way to large branch systems; the bank was absorbed by Crocker-Anglo in 1955. It is also the only academic example of Beaux Arts classicism in the downtown, a late and simplified expression of a style used to convey stability. The form describes the building as vacant, having closed as a bank in the 1980s.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its role in local economic history as the town's locally owned bank, built in response to the spread of branch banking in California. It is also significant as the only academic example of Beaux Arts classicism in the San Mateo central business district. Its exterior remains largely unchanged from 1924.
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 97000331, listed April 24, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 164 S. B St., San Mateo |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | April 24, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000331 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1924-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Weeks and Weeks (William H. and Harold H.); Builder: Wisnom, Samuel A. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revival; Beaux Arts Classicism |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Economics |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form states the building is now vacant. It was closed in the 1980s, later leased for commercial purposes, and the interior has been substantially altered while the exterior remains largely original. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.56652, -122.32322 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 97000331.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85787847
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.