Community Corner

Then and Now: Revealed

The location of last week's Then and Now photo is revealed.

Last week we asked you to identify a faded watercolor painting by artist J.B Taylor that, according to the Library Congress, was made in September of 1840.

Readers are awesome and they had this to say.

Cynthia Chmelewski writes:

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Currently the Wells Fargo Bank on High Street. I believe it was designed by Thomas U. Walter. If you walk up the steps, turn to face the street and look up, you can see the signature.

And A. Roy Smith adds:

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Photo is of an 1840 watercolor by J.B. Taylor of the "National Bank of Chester County" built between 1835 and 1837. Cynthia is indeed correct, the bank was designed by Thomas U. Walter who was paid $1,700 for his work. In addition to his name on the intgerior portico, there is the name of the Master Mason, Findlay Highlands, with whom walter had collabotated on the Preston retreat Hospital in Philadelphia. An interesting modification took palce i 1928 when the original floor and front portico were lowered and several steps were removed which had led up to the original entrance.

Thanks for your contributions guys, as always.  Please check back in next week for another round of Then and Now.


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