Untitled

Artist/Maker Adams, Stephen F.* American , 1844 - 1927

DateCirca 1870

MediumNegative, Glass, Wet Plate

Dimensions3 1/4 × 4 in. (8.3 × 10.2 cm)

Object number2000.100.441.48

Institutional Credit LineCourtesy of the New Bedford Whaling Museum

DescriptionOld Institution for Savings, corner of William and North Second Streets.The New Bedford Institution for savings building stands on the northeast corner of William and North Second Streets and is significant component of the New Bedford Waterfront Historic District. Incorporated in 1825, just nine years after the first savings bank in the U.S. was established in Boston, the New Bedford Institution for Savings was the fifth institution of its kind to be established in Massachusetts. Originally the bank occupied an upstairs office in a building once occupying the northeast corner of Water and Union Streets (the original "four corners" of New Bedford) In 1833, the bank moved to Hamilton Street in the building adjoining the Double Bank Building and remained there until its move "uptown" in 1853. The land upon which the bank sits was originally purchased from William J. Rotch's great aunt Elizabeth Rotch Rodman, who lived in the house just to the north of the bank building. The property cost $2,250 giving the bank 40 feet of land on William Street and 61 feet 3 inches on Second Street. Later, additional tracts of land were acquired to accommodate the bank's expansions. The brownstone and brick structure, constructed in 1853-54 as a rectangular one story bank building. Contains elements of both the Greek Revival and the Italian Renaissance styles. While the massing of the building with low-pitched able roof and pedimented entry to the street is typical of the Greek Revival style, some of the decorative elements are carried out in the Italian Renaissance motif. Originally attributed to Russell Warren, bank records indicate that building's architect was Clifton A. Hall of Providence, Rhode Island. According to J. Richard Early, author of The Old Savings Bank, members of the Bank Building Committee visited Providence in April of 1853 and probably saw a partially completed Providence Institution for Savings bank building or plans of the same. While early bank records are often sketchy, the following statements leave little doubt who was the architect of the New Bedford bank building: Clifton A. Hall, a Providence architect was introduced. He showed plans of a building whereupon the committee voted: that C.A. Hall be employed to draw plans of a building for us agreeable to the direction of our chairman and have them in readiness to be submitted for the approval of the committee at its next meeting. According to Early, C.A. and J.R. Hall (his brother) presented their plans at a May 9th meeting. By June 1 of 1853, bids were accepted from the various buildings trades to carry out construction of the strucutre.By the 16th of June, construction of the building had commenced (completion date has not been found). No early photographs of the interior are known to exist and the building's original configuration and use have been over the years. In 1874 the first enlargements of the structure took place with a one-story rear addition being placed on the building. Illustrations from this period show evidence of what appears to be a large circular monitor or ventilation stack in the center of the main building's roof.

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