Marine Bank I

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Marine Bank I
Location: NE corner Lake and LaSalle Streets
Life Span: 1854-1871
Architect: Burling & Baumann

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859

Marine Bank

Chicago Marine & Fire Insurance Co.

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863
Marine Bank of Chicago, Lake, cor. LaSalle

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Marine Bank Building, Lake, se. cor. LaSalle

Chicago Tribune, March 7, 1854

THE MARINE BANK BUILDING.
The preparation for constructing the new Marine Bank on Lake street, near La Salle, are about completed, and the building will be in process of construction within two weeks. The structure, it is expected, will be one of the most magnificent in the city, and its interior will be fashioned so as to afford all the accommodations presented by the best banking institutions in Wall street. It is to be constructed of the beautiful white white stone from the Athens quarries, and will cost $60,000. It is to be 60 feet on Lake, by 72 feet on La Salle street, and will be within six feet feet as high as the splendid building now being completed on the corner of Lake and Clark sts.

It is to be occupied by the Marine Bank, by the law office of Scammon & McCagg, and the balance of the building will be divided into brokers, insurance and law offices. The beauty such an edifice will impart to the business portion of Lake street will be very pleasing, and we hope that many more such structures will soon be erected, and give place to the old frame affairs that now occupy valuable corners and lots. Lake street is one of the most busy portions of our thriving city, and the merchants there located all unite in testifying to the rapid growth of their business, and it is no more than proper they should occupy fin and substantial stores—such as would reflect credit on their own enterprise and industry, and at the same time add to the beauty of the street and city.

We are informed that the Board of Directors of the Marine Bank invited designs from the different architects of the city, but that submitted by Messrs. Burling & Baumann was the one finally accepted, and those gentlemen will supervise the construction of the building.

This building in connection with three to be built by Jeremiah Price and Messrs. High and McGee, will occupy the entire space on Lake street from Keen’s book-store to the corner of La Salle street.

Alexander Hesler

Five prominent citizens decide to form a historical society. To prove that they are earnest, they print the invitation to the organizational meeting.

Historical Society, April 2, 1856

Yours, &c.
I.N. Arnold,
J.D. Webster,
W. Barry,
J.H. Kinzie
Mason Brayman.

A single evening afforded too little time. The Reverend William Barry, guiding spirit of the new orgnization, calls the group together again:

E.B. McCagg, Esq.
The adjourned meeting to organize a Historical Society is to be held at Messr. Scammon & McCagg’s Rooms on Thursday Eve at 7½ o’clock. A punctual & general attendance is desired.
W. Barry
by order

Daily Democratic Press, Chicago, Apr. 24, 1856

CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY.—This Society has been organized by the election of the following officers:
William H. Brown, President
W.B. Ogden, Vice President
J. Young Scammon, 2d Vice President
William Barry, Recording Secretary
C.H. Ray, Corresponding Secretary
Wm. Barry, Librarian
The interests of the Society are in the hands of the right kind iof men, and we doubt not that it will perform a very valuable work in rescuing and preserving the early history of the Northwest.

Chicago Magazine, March, 1857

Chicago Press & Tribune, March 9, 1860

City Improvements.
A most notable improvement is in progress on the best business portion of Lake street, where under contracts taken separately, but being conjointly performed by several firms, the Marine Bank building, which is of Athens marble and five stories high, is being raised to grade, together with all the stores of the four story brick blocks adjoining on the east. This is the heaviest undertaking of its class ever attempted in this city. The entire front extending on the north side of Lake street, from Clark to La Salle street, is to be raised to grade at once. This row contains some of the heaviest buildings in the city, and the task will be one of no ordinary proportions. During all the time of its performance, the business of the numerous stores and offices will be but slightly interfered with.

Ely & Smith have the contract for raising the east 140 feet; Pulman [sic] & Moore, the west 100 feet; and Brown & Hollingsworth, the remaining 80 feet. Workmen are already engaged in placing the blocks under the stores Nos. 136, 138 and 140, and under the Marine Bank building. The cost of raising the entire block to grade will be about $16,000, exclusive of the masonry required. Messrs. Carter & Bauer, architects, superintend the entire work. It is to be pushed with all possible dispatch, and by early in the summer a permanent and durable flagged walk will extend along the entire front. The basements under the whole will be of the first class. On the opposite side of Lake street, the old “rotten row” of wooden structures is being removed, to give place to permanent first-class business blocks worthy of that site.

This block, to be erected by Messrs. Magee, Blackman, and Dr. Sawyer, is to have a front of sixty feet on Lake street, making three stores, two of which, lying nearest to La Salle street, having a depth of ninety-three feet, and the third a depth of one hundred feet. The entire block will be four stories high, with basement; the front to be of pressed brick, with stone window caps, sills and cornice. The lower story will have an ornamental iron front, with patent rolling shutters. The whole is to be fitted up in first class style. Messrs. Carter & Bauer are the architects. The contract for the mason work has been taken by Messrs. Wallbaum & Baumann, and the carpenter work by Boggs & Son, for Magee & Blackman, and by Campbell & Heiney for Mr. Sawyer. The cost of the entire block will be about $20,000.

Raising a block of buildings on Lake Street during 1858-1859. Marine Bank indicated by arrow.

Chicago Illustrated, January, 1867

Corner of La Salle and Lake Streets. This is a familiar scene to the people of Chicago. It is one of the busy street crossings. The view is taken from the south-west, looking east. On the extreme left is a portion of Link’s iron building in which Coolbaugh’s Union National Bank has its offices, and in the upper stories are the real estate rooms of Mr. S. S. Hayes. The central building is that of the Marine Bank, condtructed of Illinois marble. It is at the north-east corner of LaSalle and Lake Streets, and was one of the first of the large business houses built of stone.

In 1858-9, the grade of Lake Street having been raised, the entire block of buildings, of which the Marine Bank building was one, extending from LaSalle Street east to Clark Street, were raised from their foundations nearly six feet. The process was one that attracted general interest, and was watched with great anxiety by the public. The buildings were all of brick or stone, four or five stories high, were all occupied, and the work was accomplished without accident and without suspending business for an hour.

A rare surviving two Dollar Note issued by the Marine Company Bank in 1863. This note carries only the full American Bank Note New York imprint and, as such, is unlisted in Haxby. Signed by Jonathan Young Scammon.

Chicago Tribune, October 12, 1871

Mr. Scammon, the Chairman, and who is also the President of the Marine Bank, stated that upon the rebuilding of the burned portion of the South Division depended the future salvation of the city. It was not a matter of expediency, but of pressing necessity to us all. He could rent all his buildings, in many cases, to former tenants, at the former prices, as soon as they could be rebuilt.

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