Royal Bank. If the presence of banks is a sign of economic prosperity, then Kamloops was thriving in the early 1900s. A solid bank building stood on the corner of almost every downtown street. One of the finest banks was this brick two-storey structure built in 1911/12 by the Kamloops firm Johnston & Company. High along the top edge of the building, the remains of an elaborate frieze are still visible. The front façade once featured attached, square brick columns with Corinthian style capitals. Brick arches with a contrasting raised keystone topped each of the tall first floor windows. The first and second floor west windows were shaded with the striped awnings popular at the time. The west rear door featured a shallow, roofed porch. The unpaved streets were lined with beautiful cluster lights and tall trees. Today, the bank corner has become part of a busy, commercial district, and the building has had many of its original architectural features changed or modified. It remains a noteworthy example of early Kamloops architecture. It has been occupied by the National Trust since 1972.
