Montana National Bank
A homesteading boom and the convergence of rail lines and roads transformed turn-of-the-century Billings into a commercial hub. The state-chartered Bank of Montana incorporated in 1912 to meet increased demand for loans. In 1917, the bank was federally rechartered as Montana National Bank. Shortly thereafter, the bank commissioned Omaha architect George Prinz to design a building that conveyed the institution’s reliability and permanence, essential for customer peace of mind in the days before federal deposit insurance. The three-story Neoclassical Revival style building features Ionic columns, a stepped and dentilled (tooth-like) cornice, and a balustraded parapet. Prinz incorporated modern amenities such as “beautifully furnished restrooms for ladies” and “monster vaults” to enhance the banks’ appeal. Trustees unveiled the building with a week-long open house, offering women carnations and men Havana cigars. The bank’s prudent lending practices insulated it from the economic downturn of the 1920s that devastated other eastern Montana banks. It enjoyed stable growth even through the Great Depression, with deposits growing as other banks were shuttered. The post-war economic boom prompted a 1952 remodel and expansion designed by Orr Pickering and Associates. Pickering departed from the ornate finishes in the original design, opting instead to employ modern materials and finishes that appealed to emerging middle-class customers. In 1955, bank President Frank N. Saver announced a name change to First National Bank, a nod to its status as Billings’ oldest national bank. The institution relocated to the corner of Second Avenue in 1976.
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