The Chapin National Bank Building is a historic bank building at 1675-1677 Main Street in
Springfield, Massachusetts. Built in 1917 for a bank founded in 1872 by
Chester Chapin, it is a notable local example of Classical Revival architecture. The building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1983.
It now houses other commercial businesses.
Description and history
The Chapin National Bank Building is located in downtown Springfield, at the northeast corner of Main and Lyman Streets. It is a two-story masonry structure, built out of cast stone. The Lyman Street facade has a classical Doric frieze, with four monumental fluted columns set ''
in antis
An anta (pl. antæ, antae, or antas; Latin, possibly from ''ante'', "before" or "in front of"), or sometimes parastas (pl. parastades), is an architectural term describing the posts or pillars on either side of a doorway or entrance of a Greek ...
''. The Main Street facade originally had a similar appearance, except for the main building entrance, but this has been obscured or replaced by modern paneling, leaving only the frieze below the roofline.
, a native of nearby
Ludlow
Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road which bypasses the town. The ...
, made a fortune first in stagecoach operations, and then in railroads and other businesses. He founded a bank in 1872, which was formally chartered as Chapin National Bank in 1878. Chapin was a city selectman and served a single term in the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
(1875-77). This building was built in 1917, on the site of a previous building of the same bank. It was designed by Mowbray and Uffinger, architects from
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, and remains a distinctive example of Classical Revival architecture in the city despite its facade alterations.
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See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Springfield, Massachusetts
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References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Bank buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Buildings and structures in Springfield, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Massachusetts