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The Laramie State Bank opens in polychrome terra cotta and fails two years later
1928
Austin, Chicago, Illinois
Thshriver · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Meyer and Cook wrapped this three storey bank at 5200 West Chicago Avenue in glazed terra cotta from the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company and opened it with a party in 1928. The Depression closed the bank in 1930. It was foreclosed on in 2012 and sat empty long enough for water to take out most of the ceilings and floors, and a judge eventually ordered emergency repairs. It is a Chicago landmark, went on the National Register in 2023, and is being rebuilt as the anchor of an affordable housing project.
That was 1 of the hidden places.
Location: documented spot
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