Germantown State Bank Building
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Founder | August C. Beckman |
| Defunct | 1930s |
| Fate | Closed during the 1930s Dust Bowl |
| Headquarters | Garland , United States |
The Germantown State Bank Building is a notable historic banking edifice situated in Garland, Nebraska, United States. While the bank itself has ceased operations, the structure remains recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1900, August C. Beckman took ownership of the bank. Initially, it operated from a wooden building simply marked "Bank" and was officially established as Germantown State Bank in 1904, having formerly functioned as the private Bank of Germantown.[1] The existing stone construction dates back to 1920, built two years following the town's renaming from Germantown to Garland amid World War I anti-German sentiment. Despite this municipal change, the bank continued to use its original designation.[1]
The institution shuttered during the 1930s as a result of natural calamities associated with the Dust Bowl affecting the region. Ownership passed to Wm. Barrett Jr. in 1939 and later to Joe Pankoke from 1978 until approximately 1989, when Bob Rashel from California acquired it. After Rashel's passing in 1998, the building was gifted to the town of Garland in his honor.
The Germantown State Bank Building was added to the National Register in 1987, and efforts to restore the structure remain active.