Father Pitt

Why should the beautiful die?


German Savings Deposit Bank, South Side

German Savings Deposit Bank

This is now the Carson City Saloon, because everything on the South Side eventually becomes a bar. But the whole building shouts “bank.” It’s built from classical elements like a Venetian Renaissance palace.

Addendum: The architect was the prolific Charles Bickel.1

Carson City Saloon

The date stone tells us that the bank was put up in 1896, with palm fronds signifying victory, and anti-pigeon spikes signifying “We hate pigeons.”

Ironwork

This ornamental ironwork is meant to evoke the balconies on a Renaissance palace, without actually being useful as a balcony.

1401 East Carson Street
  1. Source: Record & Guide, February 26, 1896, p. 169. “Architect Charles Bickell [sic] has plans for a banking house for the German Savings and Deposit Bank, at Carson Street. The structure is to be 43 x 64.5 feet, one-story brick, terra cotta and stone, composition roof, and all the latest bank improvements, and cost $100,000.” ↩︎

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *