June 2, 1915 Former Bank Building Moved

In December 2015, I received a number of old family pictures, including one of two homes on Knight Street.

Houses on Knight Street ca 1915 with former bank building in the background
Author's collection of family pictures

Being familiar with the buildings that have been on Main Street, I was surprised to find a very distinctive roof-line and trim in the picture. The question immediately came to mind, “How and when did the former bank building get moved to Knight Street?”

O.G. and D. C. Wheeler bank building, circa 1907
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #36

The Wheeler Bank building stood on Main Street south of the Hinman Memorial Library, or as it was then, the Hinman family home. Without really thinking about it, I had presumed that when the new bank building was opened, this building was torn down. As the photo above shows, that was not the case.

A bit of online research at www.fultonhistory.com brought up several news items and ads which tell the rest of the story.

The building remained in place and the Interlaken Realty Company “fitted” it up for their offices. (Interlaken Review December 1911)

April 2, 1915 Interlaken Review “For Sale—The former Bank Building on Main Street. To be taken away. Mrs. E. Melville.” (The ad appeared for several weeks.)

May 28, 1915 Interlaken Review “James Switzer has purchased the former Bank Building and is moving it to the lot he recently purchased on Knight street, just south of where S. P. Stone is building a home.”

The building on the left in the picture shows Sam Stone’s finished home. For many years this home was owned by the Tulla family, and the Willsons lived in the one to the right.

The Ithaca Daily News June 2, 1915, repeats the information about James Switzer then adds, “Ground will be broken on the old site on Main Street, in the near future, for the new opera house…”

Another article noted, “the building used for so many years by O.G.& D.C. Wheeler for their banking business was last week Friday moved to Knight Street...Nobody seems to know the year this building was erected, but it has been one of the landmarks of this place for over 60 years.” [Interlaken Review]

Much of this Snippet appeared in the January 2016 issue of the Interlaken Historical Society newsletter. The article ended with “Oh, the stories the sidewalks could tell if we knew how to get the answers.”

Dewitt’s Diary Tuesday, June 2, 1953

Temperature 50 clear and west breeze.

Two deer behind the barn while we were doing chores this morning.

The radio is broadcasting the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II this morning and all day, a very elaborate affair.

We began planting field corn.