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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
New bank embraces town’s history
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WILLIAMSBURG — A historic building on the Williamsburg square has become the newest branch of Hills Bank.
Hills purchased the building last year and greeted visitors to Night on the Square outside the building with treats and a hug from Penny Bear.
This year, residents were invited inside to see the renovations.
The building was formerly U.S. Bank, said Todd Shaull, Hills Bank branch manager. When U.S. Bank moved out, the historical commission purchased the building.
The organization renovated the outside of the building, installing arched windows and restoring the brick façade.
The inside of the building was pretty much gutted when Hills bought it, said Shaull. “It was kind of a blank canvas.”
Hills designed the bank to honor the history of the building — with tile floors and a tin ceiling — while adding modern touches.
“We were wanting to match the windows with the arch when you walk in,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Shileny.
Built in 1903, the Williamsburg bank was in the east section of the building. The lower section, to the west, was a furniture store and undertaking service.
The renovated east side has a conference room and community space for gatherings. Photos of the bank from the early 20th century are on display.
For a couple of months, Scratch Art Glass Herky will be on display. Hills Bank and Trust sponsored a statue for Herky on Parade. Scratch Art Glass Herky was created by Kelsi Lynch, of West Branch, and was displayed in Hills.
The original artwork was created by local artist Claudia McGehee and is meant to depict the history, heritage and values of Hills Bank.
Hills Bank purchased the Herky when the “parade” period ended, and the bird will now parade from one Hills branch to another through the year.
Visitors to the bank can use the penny press, which the bank started in 2016. It added the Williamsburg W to the penny designs when it opened the Williamsburg branch.
The penny press had a lot of use during Night on the Square Nov. 22, Shaull said.
At the back of the room is the old bank vault which contains old safe deposit boxes, photos, merchandise, an old safe and an old ledger machine which was found in the basement and cleaned up by an employee.
The bank worked with Mary Miller and the Williamsburg Historical Commission to learn about the history of the building, said Shaull.
The bank teller line and bank offices are located in the lower section of the building, where the furniture store and undertaking business were formerly located.
The teller line features a set of stairs that pull out so children can reach the counter to deposit money in their penny savers accounts. The children, ages 12 and younger, grab a handful of pennies to add to their deposits each time they visit the bank.
The 19th Hills branch opened in Williamsburg Nov. 12 and hosted a grand opening through Dec. 7 with giveaways and hidden prizes in some of the old safe deposit boxes.
Hills Bank was built in 1904, and photos of the teller lines from Hills and Williamsburg are on display. “You’ll notice that they’re eerily similar,” said Shaull, except for the elk antlers hanging in the Williamsburg bank.
People can visit the renovated bank and explore its history during business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
“We give a lot of tours already,” said Shaull.
The decision to add a Hills branch in Williamsburg was partly due to the history of the town.
“We were excited about the community and the growth of the community,” said Shileny. “We love the square.”
The bank has a full gamut of banking services, said Shaull, services for individuals and for small businesses and the technology to keep accounts safe from fraud.
The bank also offers home loans and trust and wealth management services, said Shileny.
In addition to lobby hours, the bank has a drive-up at the back of the building. It’s open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 to noon Saturday.
The drive-up is serviced by a camera, microphone and a vacuum tube that takes money and documents to a teller in the front of the building in 16 seconds.
An ATM is also available in the back alley.
“I feel like this branch is really neat,” said Marketing Stratagist Hope Brecht. It pays homage to the 120-year history of both banks.
“We’re still a community bank that believes in supporting the community,” said Shaull.
