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[photo]
The Banker's House
Photo courtesy of Uptown Shelby Association

The Banker's House, a landmark of uptown Shelby, is among the State's finest examples of the Second Empire style. The large, well-preserved house of yellow stuccoed brick is notable for its handsome proportions, deceptively asymmetrical plan and consistent use of rich ornament--especially around its main entrance, along the cornice and the floral patterns of colored slate tile of the mansard roof. It is one of a few Second Empire houses in North Carolina distinguished by a central tower. Similarities to the Heck-Andres House in Raleigh and the Cabarus County Courthouse suggest that the Banker's house may be the work of architect G.S.H. Applegate, a New Jersey native who came to North Carolina in 1869 and throughout his career, designed buildings across the State.



[photo] The Banker's House was built for Jesse Jenkins, founder of the first bank in Shelby, in 1874-75
Photo courtesy of Uptown Shelby Association

Since its construction from 1874 to 1875, the home has been consistently owned by prominent members of Shelby's banking profession. Built for Jesse Jenkins, founder of the first bank in Shelby, the house was sold at public auction in July 1879 to T.D. Lattimore after Jenkins had financial trouble. Lattimore later transferred ownership of the house to Sarah Lee, wife of banker H. Dekalb Lee. Lee was one of several initial directors of the Cleveland Savings Bank, a rival to Jenkins's bank incorporated by the General Assembly and established in Shelby in 1875. Lee, together with two of the other original directors of Cleveland Savings Bank, Burwell Blanton and S.J. Green, bought out the other directors' holdings and established a new banking partnership--H.D. Lee and Company--in the late 1870s. In early 1888, the Lee family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, and rented the Banker's House until 1894, when the house was purchase for $3,500 by Pattie Burwell, wife of Blanton Burwell. In 1895, Blanton and his sons, Charles and George purchased H.D. Lee and Company and changed the firm's name to B. Blanton & Company, until they obtained a Federal charter and changed the name again to First National Bank in 1903. In October 1907, the Blantons sold the home to their eldest son Charles, who became a prominent Shelby business leader during the early years of the 20th century. In May 1941, Charles Blanton sold the home to his nephew, George H. Blanton, Jr., who became president of the First National Bank in 1947 and resided in the Bankers' House throughout his entire career as a banker. In the summer of 1994 George and his wife Nancy Blanton signed an agreement and protective covenants with Preservation North Carolina management indicating that they could continue to live in the house as long as they wanted to, with PNC ultimately receiving ownership of the house. George Blanton, Jr. passed away January 10, 2001.

The Banker's House is located at 319 North Lafayette St. Preservation North Carolina currently manages the building. It is still a private residence and not open to the public.

 

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