The Merchants' National Bank Building (1895), Baltimore was a historic bank building at 301 Water Street, at the corner of South Street, in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

, Maryland. It was a 7-story,

Renaissance Revival style Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range ...

building designed by the Baltimore-based architectural firm of Baldwin & Pennington, and constructed in 1893-1895.

Johns Hopkins Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873) was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist. Born on a plantation, he left his home to start a career at the age of 17, and settled in Baltimore, Maryland where he remained for most ...

, a Baltimore businessman, abolitionist, and philanthropist, had been president of the bank from 1853 until his death in 1873.

Architecture and ownership history

When the 7 story Merchants National Bank Building was completed in 1895 the Baltimore sun called it "a splendid building" and a fine addition to the many recent handsome office buildings erected in Baltimore. Optimistically, the Sun article also mentioned that the steel frame encased in brick masonry with granite facing on the outside made the structure "fire-proof throughout". It burnt down 9 years later, a victim of the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904. Almost the entire interior was destroyed, except for the banking rooms on the first floor. The bank then decided to make its headquarters a two-story building, which it remained for almost 80 years. Merchants consolidated with the Mechanics NB of Baltimore in 1912 and consolidated at the Mechanics' location. This property was then surplused and sold to Baltimore insurance company

USF&G USF&G was an American insurance company that existed from 1896 until 1998. It was originally called the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company. The insurer formed a holding company for its insurance businesses and changed its name to USF&G i ...

, which kept it till the 1970s. Baltimore Federal Savings & Loan bought the property in 1977, and in 1982 erected a new 17 story Postmodern style building, spanning the entire block between Water and East Lombard, South and Commerce Streets. The original two story building was preserved as a historic facade. The construction cost was approximately $20 million. The architect was Donald N. Coupard Associates (now DNC Architects), and Whiting-Turner was the general contractor. ;Landmark The 1895 Merchants' National Bank Building facade is a

historic district contributing property History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as wel ...

, within the Baltimore Business and Government Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

References

{{Reflist Buildings and structures in Baltimore Downtown Baltimore Office buildings completed in 1895 Historic district contributing properties in Maryland Renaissance Revival architecture in Maryland National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore Bank buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland