A Crustacean in Iowa

Detail of rose window, Louis Sullivan's "Jewel Box" Bank (1914).

Iowa was surprising in its lushness and its undulating hills. I had always pictured it as flat, very flat, with nothing but fields of corn as far as the eye could see. The Iowa that passed by my car windows along I-80, however, was very different. It was much like Ohio, with its rich farmland, varied crops, and rolling hills. (And of course barns. There were a couple of new varieties, like a double-silo structure that looked like it was encased in stretched jersey. But perhaps more about that later.)

As I trundled through the mid-part of the state, a single sign caught my attention. It had a simple white background with black lettering that said something like “Sullivan's Jewel-Box Bank – Exit 182.” No town was listed. Or any other guidance, for that matter. Being an admirer of Louis Sullivan's architecture, I jumped at the possibility that it was one of Sullivan's famous Midwest banks, which I had only seen in my architecture books.

I reached Exit 182 several miles later and veered towards the off-ramp. The signs pointed to towns in opposite directions, but only the name “Grinnell” sounded familiar. It was just 3 miles north. What could it hurt – it was a nice Sunday morning. It might be fun to see a typical small town in Iowa on this day of rest, regardless.

A few miles later, the main road had a sign that pointed right towards the business district, although nothing more about any famous bank. I followed it, hoping that my instincts were right. Sure enough, there, on a corner at the edge of the district, was Sullivan's Merchants National Bank, completed in 1914.

Merchants National Bank (1914, Arch. Louis Sullivan), Grinnell, Iowa

It was perfectly preserved. Every detail was intact. Even the winged lions at the entrance looked as if they had been recently gilded. Not only that, but the building was in active use by the Chamber of Commerce. It was an amazing sight. Here, in the midst of Iowa farm country, was a simple box of a building, perfectly proportioned, with a stunning rose window surrounded by a geometric ornament of intense, energetic encrustation on the facade -- a highly controlled explosion of organic forms.

Although he had enjoyed great success in the 1890s, Sullivan had suffered a decline in commissions in the early years of the 20th Century. His small Midwestern bank commissions became a prime focus of his practice, and they were the beneficiaries of some of his best efforts.

I have really only seen three buildings by Louis Sullivan, as much as I admire his work. The first was the Bayard Building (also known as the Bayard-Condict Building) in New York City – perhaps one of his lesser known works but his only design built there. Then there were the Carson Pirie Scott department store in Chicago and the Guaranty (now Prudential) Building in Buffalo, which he designed with Dankmar Adler. But for some reason, the bank buildings had always intrigued me.

So here it was, the “jewel-box bank” in Grinnell, Iowa. However, the rest of the town did not disappoint as far as historic buildings were concerned. Its historic town center was the showplace for a number of its finest buildings, many marked by landmark plaques. My little side trip to Grinnell was indeed well-rewarded.

For more information:

Pitts, Carolyn. Merchants' National Bank, Nomination form. National Register of Historic Places (1975):  https://npgallery.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/06001112.pdf

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