The only 19th century bank left standing

Most 19th century banks in Aberdeen have been flattened, but this red brick block held its ground. Built between 1888 and 1889 for the Northwestern National Bank, it survived a 1903 fire that started in a basement banana room and a 1991 fire that gutted the grocery store next door. It is the only one of its kind left in town.

The architecture is Romanesque Revival, which is a fancy way of saying it has massive arches and heavy pilasters. It features three main entrances set a few steps above the street. The exterior is red brick laid in a running bond, which hasn't changed much since the bank opened its doors in February 1889.

Ownership has been a revolving door of local business. It was the Hagerty Block for a while, then Western Union took over the prime real estate in 1920. Finally, Brown County took possession in 1970 to house the Dacotah Prairie Museum.

Today, it serves as the museum and has been the sole occupant since 1980. It is a sturdy piece of history that outlived the banks, the telegrams, and the bananas.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons