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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.
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
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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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