First National Bank Building
Why it's listed
This marble-faced bank building on the north side of Broad Street in Elyria, Ohio, was erected in 1917 for the Savings Deposit and Trust Company. The bank later became the First National Bank of Elyria, and the building has served as a bank ever since. Designed in the NeoClassical Roman Temple format, it has a facade dominated by a huge arch, a style the nomination suggests was influenced by the Chicago Exposition. Inside, the banking room has a very tall ceiling and classical pilasters. Only the front facade is visible from the street, since the side walls are party walls and the rear is plainly finished. It stands in line with its neighbors on Broad Street but is set apart by its ornamentation. It was recognized as an excellent example of early twentieth century bank architecture and as one of the city's finest and least altered bank buildings. Its exterior was reported in excellent condition and its interior in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as an excellent example of early 20th century bank architecture in the NeoClassical Roman Temple format. Its facade is dominated by a huge arch, and the interior is finely appointed. It is called one of the city's finest and least altered bank buildings, in continuous use since construction.
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 79002719, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Broad St., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002719 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | NeoClassical (Roman Temple format) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous use as a bank since 1917; interior condition good and exterior excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36781, -82.10515 (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 79002719.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138507411
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.