Location 08

Bank of Stockton

ADDRESS

301 E. Main St.

Stockton, Ca 95202

HISTORY

Originally the Stockton Savings & Loan Society, this 1908 building was Stockton’s first skyscraper. Designed in the Classic Revival style, this building featured Stockton’s first revolving door, and an interior of beautiful marble quarried in Tuolomne County.

The revolving door not only prevented the entrance of wind, snow, and rain, but it could also not be blown open by heavy winds. There was a concern in 1908 that differing temperature or air pressure in skyscrapers would cause doors to fly open or be hard to open. Revolving doors seemed like the best solution at the time.

This building was the third building to serve as headquarters for the Bank of Stockton, which was founded in 1867, and is the oldest bank in California still operating under its original charter. The top two floors were occupied by the Yosemite Club, the oldest private men’s club in California, which was founded in 1889 and closed in 2010.

*As a side note, Theophilus Van Kannel was granted the patent in 1888 for a Storm-door structure. The patent itself does not use the term revolving door. Van Kannel was reportedly motivated to create his door by his phobia of opening doors for other people.

 

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