First National Bank Building
Also known as: Kent County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 on the public square of Jayton, Texas, this one-story brick building was home to the First National Bank of Jayton, founded in 1907. It follows the enframed block form commonly used by banks of the period and carries Classical Revival detail, including polished granite columns, quoins, bull's eye windows, denticulated molding and a pedimented parapet. Inside are oak teller stations, marble wainscots, a ten-foot leaded art glass domed skylight and early 1930s murals. The brick structure conveyed stability in a town of mostly frame buildings. The bank served an agricultural community until it entered receivership in 1932. The building later sat idle, briefly served as the Kent County courthouse in the 1950s, and was acquired by the neighboring Kent County State Bank, which rehabilitated it in the 1990s and linked it to its 1962 building. Its significance rests on its commercial role and its architecture, with a probable design by architect R.H. Stuckey.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is locally significant in Commerce because it housed the bank that served Jayton and Kent County from 1907 until its 1932 receivership. It is also significant in Architecture as a good example of the enframed block bank form with Classical Revival ornamentation, probably designed by regional architect R.H. Stuckey.
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 97001209, listed September 30, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 402 Donoho St., Jayton |
|---|---|
| County | Kent County |
| Listed | September 30, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001209 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-32 |
| Architect / builder | Stuckey, R.H. (architect) |
| Architectural style | Other: Enframed Block; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent physical condition after a recent rehabilitation. It is connected internally to the adjacent 1962 bank building and continues in financial institution use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.24779, -100.57423 (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 97001209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q56290781
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.