Bank of Italy, Merced

The Bank of Italy is a historic bank building located at the intersection of Main and Canal Streets in Merced, California. Opened in 1928, the bank was Merced's branch of the Bank of Italy. Henry Anthony Minton designed the building in the Classical Revival style. The bank's design includes a flat, clay tile roof with terra cotta mansards and an ornamental cornice and frieze. Five Corinthian columns are situated on the building's Main Street facade, and seven pilasters face Canal Street. The first and second floors of the bank are separated by a decorative band of panels; the band features alternating square panels displaying an Indian head or an eagle separated by rectangular panels with a diamond design. The building's exterior is mostly faced in Travertine marble; the base is faced in granite, and parts of the first floor were covered with stucco in the 1950s.