The Banker’s House in Natchez, Miss., is both a historic gem (dating back to its 1835–1838 construction) and an architectural anomaly. According to its present owner, antiques expert Kevin Stone, it is a true architectural rarity, combining a commercial bank and a neighborhood residence in the same structure.
In his YouTube series “Our Restoration Nation,” Stone explains how this wholly unusual home came to be.
He cites that the building was constructed by Levin Marshall, the bank’s president, in the Greek Revival style. The home and the bank were reportedly designed to share the same footprint to better secure the financial institution.
Proximity isn’t the only thing these cojoined structures share. Both were constructed using a combination of limestone and brick, two of the most expensive building materials at the time. Throughout both units, the walls are 20 inches thick.
Because Stone’s deed applies solely to the residence, he is unable to provide views of the bank; however, he generously welcomes visitors to The Banker’s Home.
The décor in the entry foyer of the Commercial Bank and Banker’s House, meant to project an upscale image from the moment visitors step in, has ornate moldings of carved longleaf pine. When the home sat abandoned, Stone relates that area children (including himself) would routinely surmount the fear that the structure was haunted, sneak in, and slide down the staircase’s long banister.
Off that foyer is the formal living room. Its notable furnishings include twin chairs covered in alligator hide at the princely sum of $80,000. The chandelier in this room came from Genoa, Italy, where it dates to the 18th Century. When Stone and his co-owner/partner bought them, they were still equipped only for candles. They have since been retrofitted for electricity.
The music room, once used solely for performances, is now a nook for the general comfort of guests. One of the large bookcases is from the 18th Century and was originally a massive picture frame.
Life in this historic dwelling isn’t stuck in the Antebellum South. A former sitting room has been reconfigured as a spot to watch television.
Also getting a 21st-century makeover is the kitchen. Its present footprint is an amalgam of two prior kitchens that were adjacent. The redesign was carefully orchestrated to make the space functional while retaining its overall charm.
Upstairs, the thematic architecture continues from the story below. According to Stone, the baseboards in this hallway (as well as the rest of the property) are 28 inches tall, and the window casings and door casings are 18 inches wide. All the material is single–board timber and hand carved.
Off the hallway, a large guest bedroom awaits overnight visitors. The fireplace mantle here is particularly notable for its use of marble. Many period homes of that time featured marble surrounds on first-floor hearths only, where visitors would notice them. All 14 fireplaces within The Banker’s House, on both the ground and second floors, have marble borders.
Further down the hall from the guest bedroom is the spot Stone and his partner have designated for watching television. The armoire in this space has been cleverly redesigned to hold a 72-inch television. “I don’t like walking into a lovely, traditional room and seeing a television staring me in the face,” Stone says.
The master suite has been done in a décor that fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the rest of the home.
The Banker’s House master closet, Stone explains, has a backstory: “This bedroom has its original closets, which aren’t what we think of as closets, long and deep and full of hangers. Closets back then were smaller and used hooks. That’s because back then, residences were taxed based on the number of rooms in them. And closets were counted as rooms because they had four walls and a door.
“But I don’t think Levin Marshall, the original owner, was worried about closet taxes at all. He had plenty of money, being the town’s banker.”
In a moment of true brilliance, Stone refashioned the master bedroom closet to also contain a washer and dryer. Clean clothes can go immediately from the machines to a hanger or drawer.
In creating the master bathroom, Stone and his partner faced an interesting challenge. The water line from the lower floor was frustratingly narrow, leading to a supply that didn’t meet their needs, especially for a high-volume rain-head shower nozzle. They replaced that main with piping of sufficient width to result in the spray they desired.
The Banker’s House is located at 206 Main Street and 107 Canal Street in Natchez, Mississippi. Unlike other properties in the High-End Homestead series, it is not for sale and there is no bank operating in the building at this time.
Visitor information can be found at the National Park Service historic landmarks website.
