Retrospect: Citizens Bank unveiled remodel

Everybody was invited 70 years ago this week to take a look at the newly remodeled Citizens Bank in Portland.

But that remodeling wouldn’t be recognizable today.

It only involved the original section of the bank building at the corner of Main and Court streets.

Since that time, the bank — now a part of First Merchants Bank — has expanded to the east all the way to Meridian Street.

But in December 1948 when the remodeling was unveiled, the space east of the bank was occupied by a sewing machine store, a barber shop, a jewelry store and The Equity, a restaurant/lunch counter which occupied the space at Main and Meridian.

Still, the 1948 remodeling was a cause for celebration. It had taken months, and there were some hiccups along the way.

“The many problems ever present in changing an old building kept popping up and took considerable time but were solved very satisfactorily,” The Commercial Review said.

George W. Courtney of Richmond was the architect for the project, while Chas. Sanders and Son served as the contractor.

The renovations included installing an aluminum-framed door in the white terra cotta facade of the building and an air conditioning system in the bank’s basement.

Paul C. Jaqua was president of Citizens at the time of the remodeling. John J. Jaqua was vice president and would later go on to serve as president himself. Virgil Thomas was the bank’s cashier.