Do you remember when I talked about the oldest photograph that The Romeo Observer used in its paper in this blog post?
Well, we discovered an even older picture that was utilized for the paper. Even though it's was published two months prior to the one referenced three weeks ago, this is still important because it shows the inside of the Romeo Savings Bank after it was remodeled in 1946.
In the October 31, 1946 issue (77 years ago this week), an article entitled "The Romeo Savings Bank - A Progressive Institution" graced the front page. It discussed how the bank grew, especially within the last two years. It went through some revamping, which included a new roof and completely redecorated interior. The latter involved installing rubber tile flooring throughout except for the lobby area, which had a marble floor, and adding new drapes on the huge windows. The picture you see here was taken after the inside was redecorated.
Now, why was the Romeo Savings Bank remodeled? The article answered that question right away. It explained that the bank had added new services like extending loaning powers to all individuals regardless of class. Also, in 1941, Melvin F. Lanphar of Detroit "purchased a large share of the stock in the bank and ... used his experiences in his own mortgage and loan business to revitalize the local institution."
By January 1946, Lanphar moved to Romeo and became the president of "The Friendly Bank." That was the bank's nickname.
Although we don't have any photos of the bank's interior prior to 1946, it's neat to see how the inside looked during that time. It's beautiful. In fact, this wouldn't be the last time the bank would be changed. It was remodeled in 1956 and most likely again in later years. Today, the Romeo Savings Bank is the PNC Bank in downtown Romeo. Go check out the inside if you haven't seen it already. There might be some remnants of the 1946 remodeling like the the rubber tile flooring.
Structures may get remodeled over the years, but they remain the same in many ways just like "The Friendly Bank."
To learn more about the Romeo Savings Bank, you contact the Romeo Community Archives at rca@romemodistrictlibrary.org.
Source: The Romeo Observer, October 31, 1946, p.1 and The Romeo Observer, December 13, 1956, p.B-1