Bank of Kershaw

Front: This 2-story brick building was originally the Bank of Kershaw. Kershaw Banking and Mercantile Co., a local department store, chartered the bank in 1904 and quickly merged it with another bank formed around the same time. Bank of Kershaw’s first president was prominent S.C. industrialist Leroy Springs. It operated from a temporary location until its first permanent office was built on this site in 1906. The building also included a post office, fraternal hall, and storefronts. Reverse: In 1926 a fire destroyed much of the bank building. Its reconstruction plans were drawn by Columbia architects Lafaye & Lafaye to closely resemble the bank’s original design. It was rebuilt by Piedmont Contracting Co. of Chester. Safe deposit boxes as well as a night deposit were added in 1952 as part of extensive renovations. In 1971 the Bank of Kershaw merged with First National Bank of S.C. The building continued to be used as a bank until the 1990s.