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Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank Booklet

 Item — Box: 1 of 1
Identifier: RH-A-4302

Scope and Contents

The collection is composed of one booklet from Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank in Kalamazoo dating from 1929.

The booklet contains detailed advertisements for the available rentable space in the building, such as office spaces, medical floors, shops, and commercial space. Additionally, detailed floor plans for all fifteen floors can be found within the booklet with their intended usages labeled. Printed on the last page of the booklet is a list of officers and directors involved with the construction project. In the back of the booklet, an enlarged floorplan for the sixth-twelfth floors can be found printed on a translucent rice paper-like material.

Dates

  • Creation: 1929

Creator

Biographical / Historical

Built in 1929, the Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank was designed by Chicago Architects Weary and Alford. Standing fifteen stories tall, this Art Deco style building was designed with the intent to bring a modern feel to the downtown Kalamazoo Area. German-born artist Otto Stauffenberg was also commissioned to paint the mural that can be found on the vaulted lobby ceiling. Originally built to house the bank on the lower two floors with the intention of the business expanding upwards, the remaining floors were equipped for a variety of uses. In addition to office and commercial spaces, one floor was specifically engineered to house medical equipment and another to be used as a hair salon. In 1930, Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank merged with Kalamazoo National Bank as a result of instability following the stock market crash. In 1933, it became known as the American National Bank building and has undergone several additional name changes since. Currently, the building is known as Fifth Third Bank (as of 2001) and can still be seen as a prominent part of Kalamazoo’s skyline.

Extent

.05 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased with funds from Starring Endowment.

Physical Description

The collection amounts to .05 cubic feet and is composed of one booklet from Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank. This item is 11”x14”. The pages of the booklet appear to be slightly aged and the cover is somewhat worn. The front cover is a rust-red color and contains a black and white photo of the building with a few small tears along the edge. Interior pages have not been split and a few have brown age spots. A black and white illustration of the main lobby can also be found inside the booklet, as well as a black and white photo of the building’s exterior construction. Both images appear to be only partially attached to their individual pages. Overall, the item is in fair condition.

Genre / Form

Title
Kalamazoo Trust and Savings Bank Booklet finding aid
Status
Completed
Author
Stephanie Chapman
Date
2022-07-27
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490