Walt Lockley

Other Banks

Phoenix Area

Pages on interesting Phoenix-area bank branches other than Valley National Banks and Western Savings locations. Also check out Ed Varney's 1953 First National branch on Grand Avenue on this page.

	Sir Speedy

	Arizona Banks

	1967 Mushroom Bank Junior

	Southwestern Savings Bank, Arcadia Crossing

	Two Ralph Haver Banks

	"Washburn Piano" (razed)

National Context

How do the Phoenix branch banks compare to others in the U.S.? Could you make the case that something was happening in Phoenix first, or best?

Well, it's typical of American architectural history that you'd never find out anything about this entertaining phenomenon from the 'experts'.

Unscientific attempt to identify other outlandish or outrageous examples of branch banks outside of Arizona:

	Home Savings Bank, Beverly Hills, 1953, Millard Sheets architect. The first of his 40 Home Savings banks, most in SoCal, notable for consistency and integration of art in each branch.

	South Bay Bank, Manhattan Beach, California, 1955-1958, architect Craig Ellwood (the architect who never existed). In the brilliant glass box category. Contemporary view here.

	Panorama Bank, Los Angeles, 1957, architect Wenceslas Sarmiento.

	Central Motor Bank, Oklahoma City, 1959, Wright and Shelby architects, billed (on a postcard) as the world's largest motor bank.

	Wyoming National Bank, Caspar, Wyoming, 1961-1964, architect Charles Deaton. (According to this web site, 1949 - 1955 Deaton worked for the BBC in St. Louis, Sarmiento's employer.)

	State Capitol Bank, Oklahoma City, 1964, architects Bozalis, Bailey, and Roloff. Akin to the 44th Street Valley National Bank in Phoenix. Also see dj's page here.

	Ponca City Savings and Loan, Ponca City Oklahoma, date unknown, Robert Buchner architect. Gorgeous day and night images here (you have to page through to look). See interior.

	The Alma Exchange Bank and Trust, Alma Georgia, 1966, architect unknown. Essentially a drive-through shed with literally over-the-top decoration.

This is far, far from complete. If you know more, or better, please let me know.

Result of unscientific survey as to whether Phoenix was first or best in the insane-branch-bank category: well, it's certainly in the running. The largest concentrations seem to be in the west, southwest, Texas and southern California. More research is indicated before we declare Phoenix the world's capital of this building genre but there are strong arguments for that idea.

This research such as it is leans heavily on the work of Debra Jane Seltzer -- special thanks to dj.