Longview National Bank

Longview, Texas

The Longview National Bank building is in the heart of downtown Longview, just south of the Gregg County Courthouse. The two-story, postwar bank building is characterized by its modern materials and interior design. The building also includes a custom-designed mosaic counter by Herbert Mears and a site-specific suspended wire sculpture called “The Great Lone Star” by sculptor Richard Lippold. The building was designed by B.W. Crain, Jr. of the noted regional architecture firm Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson, which designed a number of buildings in Longview and throughout Texas. The 1959 building is an addition to an earlier 1940 Art Moderne building located at the south end of the site. The main lobby of the original bank was enveloped in the 1950s design and is evident in the south gallery of the first floor which retains the 1940s vault, mezzanine, and ceiling with recessed central bay. High end materials, including marble, terrazzo, and teak paneling, along with the integration of custom-designed modern artwork add richness and texture to the otherwise restrained design.

The Longview National Bank was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023 under Criterion C for Architecture for its association with the prominent Texas architecture firm Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson and as an intact example of postwar modern bank design in Longview, Texas. Within the local context, the building is a unique and intact example of postwar modern interior design and materiality, retaining a mosaic counter designed by Herbert Mears and a wire sculpture by renowned artist Richard Lippold, both of which were site-specific designs. The period of significance is 1959, when construction of the subject building was completed.