Friday, August 30, 2019

Photos from the Caldwell Public Library

A few Steunenberg related photos from the Caldwell Public Library online collection. I may add more and additional comments as time allows.
Caldwell Public Library (Flickr)

"Caldwell was designed to be a railroad center of commerce and banking was a big part of its early business. The towns second bank, the Commercial Bank, opened in 1894 with John C. Rice, president, and A. K. Steunenberg, cashier. This 1895 view of the bank at 707 Main shows it flanked by the Caldwell Club on the left and the Oakes Brothers Dry Goods Store on the right." -- Early Caldwell Through Photographs by Elaine Leppert & Lorene B. Thurston

Caldwell Public Library (Flickr)
"Commercial Bank Interior. The bank directors included John C. Rice, Jacob Plowhead, S.S. Foote, Robert Aikman, W.S. Bradley and A.K. Steunenberg, (cashier)."

Detail view of A.K. Steunenberg behind the "Cashier" window.

Caldwell Public Library (Flickr)
"The Commercial Bank built a new building across the street on the corner of Main and Seventh in 1903-1904. The old Danilson Drug building was simply moved over into the street to make way for the new structure and Greenlund's moved into new quarters. About this time the bank became known as the Caldwell Bank & Trust Co." -- Early Caldwell Through Photographs by Elaine Leppert & Lorene B. Thurston

JTR Collection

I am going to sneak in a couple of my own photos to help complete this series. They are also elsewhere on this blog as family related banking interests have been covered quite a bit. Above RPPC was mailed by Owen M. VanDuyn. It seems Owen is enjoying the extra office space he got after Frank's assassination almost exactly one year prior to his sending this card. We can see the drug store that had been moved over into the street is now entirely gone.

JTR Collection

JTR Collection

Above and link with more info: Automatic Recording Bank.

JTR Collection

Here is the main floor showing the cashier's cages inside the new Commercial Bank/Caldwell Bank & Trust. That is A.K. Steunenberg at the rear window and I believe L.S. Dille in the near window.

JTR Collection

On the back of the photo above this one. 
"Caldwell Commercial Bank about 1900" 
"Property of Carrie M Steunenberg", (wife of A.K.).
 
Caldwell Public Library (Flickr)
And before the bank: "Frank and A.K. Steunenberg bought the paper (Caldwell Tribune) in 1887. 'The aim of this paper, like all others, will be to furnish a readable re-hash of events occurring daily in our midst, and to educate the East, or a portion of it, to a proper conception of the manifold glories and advantages of Idaho in general and Caldwell in particular.'" --Caldwell Public Library

Caldwell Public Library (Flickr)
Also in Caldwell, Will Steunenberg's shoe shop. "Fitters of feet."

I believe this is an earlier photo of Will standing in the door window of the store. Not sure of the exact location in Caldwell.

1 comment:

Tara A. Rowe said...

I have always loved these photos of Commercial Bank. Any photos of old banks with these teller windows are charming.