Last time, we talked about the remarkable wig giveaway of 1970 at the Mohawk National Bank of Schenectady – and that led me to dig a little bit into the history of the bank that was once an anchor of lower State Street and is now, like nearly all local banks, long gone.
According to a 1967 Schenectady Gazette article regarding the bank’s 160th anniversary, Mohawk Bank was first chartered March 13, 1807, and was in continuous operation from that time. The first president was James C. Duane, for whose quite wealthy family Duanesburg was named, but he left in 1810 and was followed by Charles Kane.
According to a 1957 article, when Mohawk Bank was chartered, there was only one bank upstate (State Bank of Albany, 1803), and two in New York City (Bank of New York, 1784, and Bank of the Manhatten Co., later Chase Manhattan, 1799).
From SCHS, the 10 North Church Street original location of the Mohawk Bank; SCHS dates the building as 1807.
The bank’s first location was 10 North Church Street. In 1967, that was “now the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Mauriel. Available records seem to indicate that with the exception of the dormers under the roof and the side bay window, the exterior has changed little.”
About 1816 or 1817, the bank moved across Church to the building known to my generation as the Mohawk Club. In 1853, it moved to what was then numbered 97 State Street, believed to be part of the H.S. Barney site today. Four years later, just after becoming a national bank in April 1865, they built a brownstone front building at 216 State, which the bank occupied on Dec. 23, 1857.
From HABS/HAER via the Library of Congress, this photo of 1 North Church Street. Built around 1815 for the Mohawk Bank, it was long the home of the Mohawk Club – but since the club was established elsewhere, don’t jump to the conclusion it carried over the name from the bank. After some stops, starts and a 2020 fire, this appears to now be operating as The Stockade Inn.
“For 100 years this structure was a familiar landmark on lower State Street, especially the Indian and canoe ornament atop its facade. The eight foot-long ornament is now in the care of the Schenectady County Historical Society.”
This image from Schenectady County Historical Society shows the original relief figure of a Native American (meant to represent the Mohawk nation) in a canoe that crested the top of the Mohawk National Bank building on State Street for many decades. When the building was remodeled in the 1950s, the figure was moved to SCHS; I’m told it’s on view there.
It was, as this photograph from the SCHS attests, a lovely facility inside:
Interior of Mohawk National Bank at 216 State Street – as it looked for just about a century. More interior images are at the Schenectady County Historical Society collection.
1957: A Major Expansion
But in the early 1950s it was apparent the old structure was no longer suited for modern banking needs, and so the bank began expansion and renovation. Interior renovations were made, and a large addition was added to the rear of the building. Renovations were also made to an adjacent building at 212-214 State the bank owned.
In 1953, the bank acquired the building next door at 220-222 State, long known as the Jonathan Levi building. Levi’s grocery was there from sometime around 1870 to around 1910, when he moved to Dock Street and was more of a wholesaler. Levi’s building was also the original home of the Mohawk Club. When the bank acquired the building, it housed the Silver Grill, a clothing store and upper story apartments. The Levi building was demolished in 1956.
This 1914 Sanborn map shows the location of the Mohawk National Bank as 216 State Street, along with the adjacent Jonathan Levi wholesale grocery operation, which stretched all the way back to Erie Street.
The new building was greeted with the normal amount of civic and press excitement when it opened Dec. 7, 1957 (a Saturday).
“A new bank with a front of glass, aluminum and black granite that thoroughly refutes the old fashioned idea of bank strength with solid stone front and barred windows, will be formally opened tomorrow,” The Schenectady Gazette reported on Dec. 6. “An entirely new concept in banking structures in this part of the state, it also includes many new features of banking convenient never before seen in upstate New York. it is the first new business building to be erected on lower State street in over a quarter of a century.
“An entirely new fireproof building has been tied in physically and architecturally, with a completely modernized section of the old building that was the bank’s home for 100 years. Footings, foundation and structure of the new building have been designed to accommodate the addition of a future second floor for expansion. The old brownstone facade so familiar to thousands of Schenectadians has disappeared and a contemporary front of black granite and limestone, with aluminum trimmed windows, units the remodelled building with the new wing.”
The bank remained open through the construction – the Levi building was demolished, the new one-story section of the bank constructed, and then nearly all operations were moved into the new portion while the original building was heavily renovated – to the point of being unrecognizable. “The upper floor of the century-old brownstone structure was cut back 14 feet to permit the installation of a continuous architrave and create a harmonious well blended facade. The new addition has almost tripled the width of the total banking structure.”
And the innovations! “A new and modern automatic snow melting system beneath the sidewalk is designed to keep the area in front of the bank free of ice and snow during the winter months. Complete year round air conditioning will insure indoor comfort for customers and employes [sic]. ” Plus: a sidewalk teller, a night depository, entry from the rear parking lot, a separate entrance for the consumer credit department, and “employe recreation rooms and lounges.” Oh yes, and air conditioning throughout.
Mohawk National Bank as it appeared on completion of renovations in 1957.
The Look of a Modern Bank
I had set a goal of making these articles breezier, but the Gazette provided me with a thorough, not to say breathless, description of the interior of the new bank building, and it’s just too much not to share – and even here I’ve edited it down a bit. It will sound familiar to anyone who spent time in what were considered “modern” banks in the 1960s and ’70s.
“The main entrance of glass and aluminum leads into the new main banking room, which is 50′ by 80′ – spacious and open in feeling. A comfortable waiting area for customers has been provided on the right of the entrance, while the elevator is at the rear. A long low counterscreen of straight grained mahogany and grey formica extends along the left side of the room, with the officers’ platform occupying the area to the right.
“The floor of this room – the first of its kind to be used in Schenectady – is vinyl tile in a black and grey terrazzo texture and the tiles are separated and accentuated by strips of stainless steel. The floor of the officers’ space is carpeted in beige as is the stairway leading to the safe deposit department. Recessed fluorescent lighting provides efficient illumination and the acoustical ceiling is designed to keep noise at a minimum.
“The yellow walls of this room are complemented by linen window hangings in a red and yellow design. The furniture reflects the overall modern functional design, employing plastic veneered woods and square tubular legs and supports. Seating pieces in the main area are treated in burnt orange, black, brown and blue, while chairs in the consumer credit department and customers’ waiting area are upholstered in saddle colored leather.
“The decor of the remodelled portion of the bank carries out the bright modern theme but still preserves the colonial atmosphere of the original building. The black and white floor is designed to create a feeling of spaciousness. The coupon booths of the enlarged safe deposit facilities are a pleasing harmony of tones of muted yellow, beige, gray and blue. Soft music, by means of a remote control system, will contribute to the general atmosphere.”
A recitation of who did what work on the facility was also included in that article – with most of the contracting being locally sourced.
I whine a lot about what was lost when banking stopped being local and every bank just had to become part of a bigger conglomeration.
Innovations in Banking: The Sidewalk Teller
I can’t help but include the Gazette’s overly detailed description of how a sidewalk teller worked.
Branches
Over time, the bank added various branches, totaling eight by 1970:
- Sch’dy: 216 State St.; 7 Clinton St.; Nott & Van Vranken; Albany & Hulett.
- Niskayuna: 1757 Union Street
- Rotterdam: Shoparama, 5 Corners
- Glenville: 466 Ballston Road (near airport)
- Guilderland: 1791 Western Ave.
1928 ad giving a lovely, detailed location of the Albany Street branch. “Study this map! You will see where fourteen thousand of Schenectady’s best citizens dwell….”
On the left, the Albany Street branch of the Mohawk National Bank.
The long-familiar Mohawk National Bank logo. Although the “Mohawk” name is representative of our region, perhaps today a bank wouldn’t use a representation of a Native American as part of its logo.
At the other end of the block from the bank, and just across Erie Blvd., Mohawk National Bank long had this absolutely elaborate signage on the wall of the “King Donut” building opposite the Wedgeway. I believe this photo was by John Papp. I wish I had my own. One day the building just disappeared.
In 1982, the bank dropped “of Schenectady” from its formal name, and was soon after merged into Norstar Bank of Upstate New York in 1984, ending the name of Mohawk National. Norstar hoovered up any number of other smalltown banks before getting merged into Fleet Bank of Rhode Island in 1997, which in 2005 was merged into Bank of America. I haven’t been able to determine just when the former headquarters ceased banking activity, or when what is now Liberty ARC took over and further renovated its buildings.
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