J. B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company and National Bank Building
Watkins Museum of History
Upon its completion in 1888, the J. B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company and National Bank Building [now the Watkins Museum of History] was considered one of the most magnificent structures west of the Mississippi River. Today it remains a fine example of Romanesque architecture. Although there is no existing record of certainty, it is believed that this building is the first major work of Walter Root. Records, do, however, indicate that Root came to Kansas City, Missouri in 1886 as an employee of the Chicago architectural firm of Burnham and Root. He came to supervise the construction of several buildings designed by the firm, which was founded by his older brother, John, and Daniel Burnham.
The exterior design of the brick structure is symmetrical with the only deviation being a massive stone archway over the main entrance. The interior woodwork is primarily curly pine with some white oak. There are eight different types of marble used in the floors and the bank counters, all of which were imported from Europe. Additional highlights of the building’s interior are: wooden shutters for light and temperature control; a main staircase comprised of an iron frame inlaid with marble steps; a ornate lobby chandelier and three stained glass windows which are all original to the building. The third floor features a twenty-two foot high ceiling and J. B. Watkin’s private office, complete with fireplace. The second floor ceilings are sixteen feet high and feature recently restored plaster designs. Finally, there are several chandeliers on both the second and third floors, and three of the original bank vaults made by Mosler, Bahman and Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, are still intact.
Description of the Interior
The interior of the Watkins National Bank was described as a “scene of rare elegance.“ This is evident once inside the main doors. The floor of this first vestibule is marble mosaic with red and white the predominant colors and the name “Watkins” inlaid in the design. On the north wall is a small plaque stating that the building was given by Mrs. Elizabeth Watkins to the City of Lawrence in 1929. The walls themselves are plaster and finished in a cream color as are all of the walls in the building. To decorate these walls is a wainscoting of Tennessee marble and Mexican onyx.
From this first vestibule lead three sets of stairs, the ones on either side going to the basement and the one in the center to the second level. These stairs along with the wainscoting exhibit eight different types of marble. These stairs have shiny brass railings and cast bronze balusters with Watkins‘ initials in the design. At the top of the center stairs is a second vestibule separated from the bank proper by a thin wall of curly pine and antique oak. This wall supports a set of large windows and a pair of doors which are framed in a carved hard wood. The floor of this level is the same as below except the work “bank” is inlaid in the design. Finally, as in all three vestibules, the walls and the wainscoting are the same as found at the first level.
Physical History
Available records indicate that work on the J. B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company and National Bank Building commenced in 1885. The actual construction, however, may not have been started until sometime in 1886 since it was reported in the January 1st, 1887, issue of The Lawrence Daily World that: “A fifty thousand dollar building has been commenced by the millinaire (sic) Watkins and the first story completed.” By February 1st, 1888, the work on the structure neared completion and the Watkins Land Mortgage Company had already occupied the third level. The Watkins National Bank opened for business on May 17th, 1888. The total cost of erecting the building was approximately $100,000.
Architect
While conclusive evidence that would identify the architect has not yet been found, there has been extensive research conducted by various professionals. The conclusion is that the architect was probably Walter Root, who also designed Flint and Dyche Halls at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. The Director of the Elizabeth M. Watkins Community Museum also agrees that circumstantial evidence indicates Walter Root as being the probable architect.
In 1859, Walter Root was born in Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of six he and his family moved to New York City. In 1880 he graduated from the College of the City of New York. From 1880 to 1882, in New York City, Walter Root studied architecture under Russell Sturgis. In 1882, he moved to Chicago and went to work for his older brother. As noted, it is most likely that in 1885, Burnham and Root sent the younger Root to Kansas City to manage their projects in that area. In 1896, at the age of 27, he formed a partnership with George M. Siemens and established the firm of Root and Siemens in Kansas City, Missouri. Walter Root died in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1925.
The design of the J. B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company and National Bank Building bears a strong resemblance in quality of design and details of construction to the work that Walter Root’s older brother, John, was doing at the time: particularly the Kansas City Board of Trade Building, which is no longer standing. With a few slight modifications, such as eliminating “elliptically” and “corner towers” a description written by Harriet Monroe in her biography of John Root of the Burnham and Root firm’s entry in the competition for the design of a Chamber of Commerce building for Cincinnati, Ohio, could be a description of Watkin’s building.
“The initial idea was that of a large Flemish guild hall – a motive dear to its author [John Root] and remote from the Romanesque. A spirited, luxuriant rendering of this idea gives us a central story of lofty elliptically arched windows resting on two strong sub-stories, and crowned with an attic story flowering richly into dormers and corner towers with conical spires and supporting a steep hipped roof.”
Builder, Contractor, and Suppliers
The builder, contractor, and suppliers are unknown. It is known that the exterior walls were constructed of pressed Trenton brick. This brick may have been produced in Trenton, Missouri, since that city did have a brick kiln during this time period. Lake Superior and Cottonwood stone were also used in the construction of the exterior walls. The curly pine used in the interior came from a plantation located in southwest Louisiana, which J. B. Watkins owned. The eight different types of marble used in the interior were imported from Europe.
Alterations and Additions
Through the use of photographic evidence and written descriptions it is known that there have been no alterations or additions made to the building. In 1929, Elizabeth M. Watkins, widow of J. B. Watkins, gave the building to the City of Lawrence. In the deed transferring ownership she stipulated: “That no changes or alterations shall be made in the exterior of said building for the period of fifty (50) years from the date hereof, except such alterations or repairs as may be necessary for the preservation of said building.” The interior of the building [has been] restored to its appearance in 1888.
On February 24, 1971, the J. B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company and National Bank Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1975, the Elizabeth M. Watkins Community Museum opened to the public.
| Watkins Museum of History | Richardson Romanesque Style |
|---|---|
| 1047 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS | Official Website ≫ |
| National Register of Historic Places (1971) | Open Tuesday–Saturday, 10–4 |