Citizens National Bank
Why it's listed
Citizens National Bank is a two-story brick building on West Main Street in the commercial core of Springville, Erie County. Completed in December 1939, it replaced the bank's earlier quarters after directors cited a need for more space. The St. Louis Bank Building & Equipment Company designed it. Buff brick walls, curved corners, limestone base coursing, window banding and tall two-story windows blend Art Deco and Art Moderne elements, a rare combination in the village. Inside, the design stressed security: vaults with twenty-inch reinforced concrete walls, eleven-ton steel doors, alarm cables and a vault ventilation system. A mural titled "Credit Man's Confidence in Man," painted by Louis Grell of Chicago, remains on an upper wall. The bank operated here until the Village of Springville bought the building in 1968, and it now serves as government offices. Exterior alterations are minor, and interior changes such as a dropped ceiling are described as reversible.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact, representative example of modern commercial architecture recalling Springville's growth in the 1930s. Its transitional design mixes Art Deco and Art Moderne elements, which is rare in the village. It also holds a WPA-style mural by Louis Grell of Chicago and a security-focused interior that was advanced for its time.
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 96000295, listed April 5, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5 W. Main St., Springville |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | April 5, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000295 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Original Architect - St. Louis Bank Building & Equipment Co.; George Muse, Superintendent |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Sold to the Village of Springville in 1968; current function is government office, and the building is described as retaining high exterior integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.50885, -78.66756 (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 96000295.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5122714
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.