Two of Holyoke’s early 1900s banks identified

First National Bank, pictured above left, was misidentified in the old photo that ran on Page 4 in the July 27 edition of the Enterprise. It was stated that First National Bank was built on the southeast corner of the Denver/Interocean intersection where the Lions Club Mini Park is, but it was actually on the southwest corner where Viaero now stands. In 1909, the building changed from Farmers and Merchants Bank to First National Bank. The upstairs portion housed Dr. P.S. Struble’s dentistry office. Phillips County State Bank, pictured above right, is the bank that was built on the southeast corner of Holyoke’s main intersection north of Scheunemann’s in 1910, with opening day Dec. 3. The building included office rooms, a barber shop in the basement and a lodge in the upper story. The building later housed Ralph’s Bar and was gutted by fire Feb. 15, 1978. Both buildings are shown in the 1920 photo below, with Phillips County State Bank on the left and First National Bank on the right and the post in the middle of the street labeling the OLD (Omaha-Lincoln-Denver) Highway, now called Highway 6. Both buildings have “1910” on the peak at the top above the front door.