American State Bank
Also known as: First American National Bank and Trust; Berwyn National Bank
Why it's listed
Rising at the southwest corner of Cermak Road and Oak Park Avenue in Berwyn, Illinois, this two-story brick bank is faced in Indiana limestone and topped by a tile-clad dome. Built in 1925-26 for the American State Bank, it has symmetrical north and east facades with carved cattle heads, swags, rosettes and laurel wreaths. Inside, a large banking hall is covered by an octagonal vaulted dome with gilded plaster decoration and stained glass. Later alterations include glass-block windows and a 1940s redecoration with air conditioning, but the main facades and dome cornices survive. The bank served Berwyn's growing Czech, Slovak and Bohemian population, and its president, Frank Topinka, financed many local home loans. It was the first financial institution on Cermak Road in Berwyn and is the only historic bank building left there. It closed in 1932 and has since been used by a social club and left vacant.
Significance in brief: The building is locally significant under Criterion A for its link to Berwyn's economic development and to the Czech, Slovak and Bohemian community that settled there in the 1910s and 1920s. It is also significant under Criterion C as one of the best surviving Classical Revival commercial buildings in Berwyn. It is the only surviving historic bank building on Cermak Road in Berwyn.
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 00000951, listed October 5, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6801 Cermak Rd., Berwyn |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | October 5, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000951 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1932 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Economics, European |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant. The building was used by the Slovak Club of Berwyn from 1972 to about 1982, then stood vacant until it was purchased in 1991. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.85018, -87.79354 (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 00000951.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16868930
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.