First National Bank of Rock River

The First National Bank of Rock River is being nominated to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A. The building is significant because of its initial association with the development of the oil industry in the region and because it later became the focal point for Rock River's social and cultural activities. The bank was constructed in 1919 at the height of an oil boom occurring in Albany and Carbon Counties. After its initial use as a bank during the 1920s, the building became the property of the town. Since that time it has been used by the community for many diverse civic purposes, playing the continuing development of the town. Today, in spite of having been adapted to serve a variety of purposes, the building still retains a large measure of its architectural integrity. The physical setting also possesses a high degree of integrity, providing a strong sense of feeling and association for life in Rock River during the period of significance.

The period of significance begins in 1919, the year in which the bank was built. Although the building continued to function as an integral part of the community until the mid-1980s, the year 1939 was chosen as an arbitrary ending date for the period of significance. This is to avoid including dates within the past fifty years as the property is not judged to possess exceptional significance. The year of construction, 1919, and 1936, when the town of Rock River acquired the property, are listed as significant dates.

As is typical of towns across southern Wyoming, Rock River can trace its beginnings to the Union Pacific Railroad Company. During the 1890s the Union Pacific completed a new survey for the route of the transcontinental railroad between Laramie and Medicine Bow. At the conclusion of the survey, this section of the railroad was shifted several miles southward in order to eliminate some thirty miles of track. By moving southward the railroad abandoned its station at Rock Creek and instead established a new station at the site of Rock River eleven miles to the south. In the spring of 1899, a number of buildings were erected at Rock River and newly established businesses soon opened their doors to surveyors, timbermen, coal miners, and other workers associated with the railroad. Two years later, when the shortened route was completed, the Union Pacific filed a plat for the original townsite of Rock River.

Although the town owed its beginnings to the railroad, it also developed as a regional service center for surrounding ranches. Only the ranches in the immediate vicinity, however, provided a large measure of support for the town's economy. This was because Laramie and Medicine Bow was already firmly established as the region's major service center. For this reason, and because the initial boom associated with the railroad's construction soon passed, it appeared that Rock River would see only limited growth. This prognosis changed dramatically in 1917 when the Ohio Oil Company discovered oil on the Alvy Dixon Ranch approximately twelve miles west of Rock River. An oil camp named Ohio City quickly sprang up near that location, across the county line in Carbon County. The name of the camp was soon changed to McFayden after a prominent member of the oil company. When a post office was established there in 1920 the spelling was changed to McFadden.

In addition to causing the establishment of McFadden, the discovery of oil also created a sizable boom in Rock River. The population of the town increased significantly and construction was begun on many new buildings, including the First National Bank. The United States Treasury Department granted a charter for the bank in April 1919, and construction on the building was begun later that month. The bank was built by the Laramie-based Southern Wyoming Lumber Company. This company was a newly formed entity having incorporated on February 24, 1919, with E.J. Travis as President. Interestingly, three members of its board of directors; L.H. McAlister, W.F. Shields and Fred (F.R were also on the board of directors for the bank. Construction was completed and the bank opened for business in February 1920.

The bank was built on lot one of block one in the original townsite of Rock River. This was a prominent location at the northwest corner of Avenue C and Second Street in the middle of downtown. This parcel of land had been part of a larger tract that the Union Pacific had sold to Albany County School District Number Five in 1912. In 1919 the School District sold lot one of block one to Alvy Dixon (President of the Bank) and Fred R. Richards. They in turn immediately sold the property to the First National Bank which they controlled.

During the early 1920s, the building also housed the medical practice of Dr. Florence Patrick, one of the few women doctors in Wyoming at that time. Her office was located in the back, or north end of the building, and was accessible from Second Street. Dr. Patrick retired and closed her practice circa 1925.

The bank got off to an auspicious start during the midst of the boom with both depositors and prospective borrowers filling the lobby. The boom, however, was based more on speculation than on an actual yield of oil. Although the nearby drilling did provide some positive results, actual production levels were fairly modest. By the early 1920s, overproduction throughout the state
decreased in oil markets after the end of the First World War bringing the short-lived boom to a close. The First National Bank came to a close as well, shutting its doors on April 11, 1923, less than four years after it had opened.

After the bank closed, its national charter was suspended, and on June 14, 1923, it went into receivership. It was more than six years later, on December 31, 1929, when the bank's finances were finally settled and the receivership was closed. The bank's downfall, however, was caused by more than just the poor economy. Perhaps the most immediate factor causing its demise was that it was being looted from within. Lewis C. Butler, Vice-President, and Cashier for the institution was charged with embezzlement and misappropriation of several thousand dollars of the bank's funds. In March 1924 he was convicted of the charges in Federal Court in Cheyenne and sentenced to a prison term at Leavenworth, Kansas.

On February 8, 1927, the bank property was sold to the newly formed citizen's State Bank. This institution, although not plagued by embezzlement, met with only modest success. The stagnant economy and the proximity of larger banks in Laramie, less than forty miles to the southeast, precluded any significant financial growth. In 1934 the building was issued to Albany County on a tax deed after Citizen's State Bank failed to pay property taxes, and a public sale on July 14, 1931, failed to sell the property for the amount of taxes due. With this action, the building's history as a financial institution came to a close.

On June 9, 1936, the property was sold by the county to the town of Rock River. From that date forward, until the mid-1980s, the bank building was used by the community for a variety of purposes becoming the town's social and cultural center. In the mid-1930s, the United States Post Office for Rock River moved into the front, or south end, of the building where the bank lobby was previously located. The post office operated there for approximately twenty years before moving to a new 1950s. Between 1935 and circa 1941, the area immediately behind the post office was used as an apartment by the postmaster. Citizens of Rock River today recall that two school teachers in about 1930 and 1931 also used this space for living quarters. During the 1940s and '50s, the area where the apartments had been located became the town jail. After the post office moved, the front of the building was leased to the Rock Creek Fire Zone for use as a fire garage. At this time an overhead door was cut into the south end of the east elevation so that a fire engine could be stored there. As of 1988, the building is still serving this purpose.

The next room, behind or to the north of the apartments, is known as the Community or Council Room. Between circa 1935 and 1985 the Town Council met here on a monthly basis to discuss the business of the town. The officials comprising the Council were the Town clerk, Treasurer, Marshall, and the Justice of the Peace. Many other organizations also met here on a regular basis including the School Board, 4-H club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

This room is also significant because it was the community's primary social center. Events that took place here in numerous weddings, receptions, bridal and baby showers, dances, and other social affairs. This room also served as the official polling place for Rock River and was the scene of many political meetings. A kitchen, located at the north end of the community room, was utilized on many occasions, most often between 1 1960 when the school's hot lunch program was prepared here and served to the students in the community room.
Between circa 1940 and 1985 the room at the north end of the building housed the Rock River Branch of the Albany County Carnegie Public Library. Mrs. James (Myrtle) Mallery served a long tenure as a librarian, from the late 1930s until 1970. Her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Howard (Edith) Mallery has served as librarian since 1970. In 1984-1985 the library and the town offices moved to a new location at 321 Avenue D. A newer building here was obtained by the tow district and has replaced the bank as the community's primary social center. The First National Bank building, meanwhile, still houses the fire engine and is otherwise used primarily for storage.

The First National Bank of Rock River was evaluated on a local level against other buildings associated with the regional oil boom, and with the subsequent development of Rock River as a community. It is especially significant because it was built at the height of the boom, and because it later became the town's cultural and social center. Although its architectural integrity has been impaired somewhat, the bank is clearly the best extant example associated with these themes.