Introduction
Louis H. Sullivan designed the Merchants National Bank in 1914 for $60,000. He did several, 8 I think, of these wonderful banks. Most are still standing in some form or another. The one in Owatonna, 70 miles south of the Twin Cities, is the best. People come from all over the world to see it. This one has been kept up fairly well. It was still a bank until a few years ago. I had been to see it in the early 80's. The receptionist at Donaldson's Grinnell plant told me she had worked there as a teller for several years. She said it was the nicest place she had ever worked in. I can imagine. It's a neat building. It's the Chamber of Commerce now and the town had adapted part of the design above the door as it's town symbol.