Bank of Spring Green AUTOBANK

The building was designed in 1982 by architect William Wesley Peters (June 12, 1912 -July 17, 1991) of Taliesin Associated Architects, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation ("TAA").The building was commissioned by the Bank of Spring Green to serve as a state-of-the art drive-through bank facility that included a south-facing customer service walk-in lobby (facing East Jefferson Street) with a teller window. The building also has a now-covered night deposit box on its west exterior wall.

The bank named the building the "Bank of Spring Green AUTOBANK," which name was reflected in large metal letters in period appropriate font selected by the architect that were attached to the east side exterior of the building. That signage, which is depicted in the building's blueprints and on advertisements for the building that the bank placed in the Home News, was removed long ago.

However, the current owner of the building has placed a smaller version of that signage (in the original font) over the building's original bullet-resistant (and very heavy) rear door. The building opened for business on February 14, 1983.

The building essentially consists of three unified and attached components: 1) An enclosed portion with 610 square feet of interior space; 2) a vehicle drive-thru area covered by a long canopy that abuts the exterior of the enclosed portion of the building; and 3) a rear exterior "courtyard" that abuts the north-end of the exterior of the enclosed portion of the building. Consistent with Frank Lloyd Wright's principles, there is visual continuity between the three components of the building, making them a unified whole in appearance.

Period articles in the Home News noted that the Bank of Spring Green's decision to commission the AUTOBANK was motivated by various factors. While the larger bank had and continues to have a single lane for drive-thru banking service, the bank temporarily ended that service when it opened the AUTOBANK. That decision was motivated by the need to use for other purposes interior space that was associated with the single lane drive thru service. The new AUTOBANK had three drive- thru lanes and was intended to provide customers with a first-rate drive-thru and/or inside banking experience. It also had 24-hour access to an ATM machine in the lobby, which was likely less common at the time.

Location

259 East Jefferson Street

Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588

The building is located at the northwest corner of East Jefferson and North Albany Streets. The south portion of the building faces East Jefferson Street. The east portion of the building faces North Albany Street. The north and west portions of the building's lot respectively face the parking lot for the Spring Green Community Library and a private home/law office.