The former Wyoming National Bank building located in downtown Casper, opened its doors on May 3, 1964.[1] The bank was built in the middle of an oil boom in Wyoming by architect Charles Deaton. Deaton's philosophy was to bring forth a "sculptural concept in architecture," his Mid-century modern style was the first of its kind for architecture in Wyoming.[2] Upon completion, the building marked the 36th state Deaton had designed a bank in.[3] Since opening, ownership has changed multiple times and in the mid 1990's was purchased by Wells Fargo, who owned and operated the bank under the new name of the 'Wells Fargo Building' until 2020.[2] Taken over by McGinley Innovations in December 2020, the now called "M" building is the home of McGinley Orthopedics and the McGinley Sports Medicine clinic.[4]
| M Building | |
|---|---|
 The M Building pictured in summer of 2020 before its renovation. | |
 | |
| Former names | Wyoming National Bank; Wells Fargo Bank |
| General information | |
| Type | Bank |
| Architectural style | Modern (space age) |
| Address | 234 East 1st Street |
| Town or city | Casper, Wyoming |
| Country | United States |
| Current tenants | McGinley Clinic |
| Construction started | 1963 |
| Completed | 1964 (building); 1968 (tower) |
| Renovated | 2020 |
| Height | 177 feet |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 94 feet |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Charles Deaton (building); Harold Engstrom (tower) |
Architecture
editThe bank features a sculptured rotunda in the southeast corner of the two-story building. The rotunda is compiled of 17 rounded concrete blades, each weighing 21 tons and rising 44 feet tall. The concrete blades are separated with glass and steel panels.[2] The blades function to support the dome and walls, designed to follow a sculptural appearance but functionable as working members of the structure.[3] The interior of the rotunda, which is free of supporting columns, spans an 86-foot diameter at the ground level and slopes inward to a 60-foot diameter ceiling. The rotunda served as a two-floored main banking lobby with a domed ceiling, which held 20 teller booths in a circular pattern.[2] The lighting in the dome was diffused with a plastic louver called a "squiggle" pattern which is made up of several thousand pieces but gives the appearance to be a smooth flow of curved lines, which was the first of its kind in the United States.[1] The surrounding square box-like structure has a floating appearance, held off the ground by projecting beams on the north end, which served as the office space for the bank.[2]
Time-temperature pylon
editDesigned by Denver-based architect Harold Engstrom, the tower was erected in 1968. The time-temperature pylon rises 177 feet into the air, making it the world's tallest time-temperature display of the time.[5] The pylon is firmly planted on three arching legs that come together a quarter of the way up then separate again at the top to hold the display on three sides. Each letter and number on the display were 8 feet tall.[2] The original display on the pylon would flash a "WYO," "NATL," "BANK" message then the time and temperature. In 1992 the display was taken down and replaced with a sign for the current owner of the time, Norwest Bank. When Wells Fargo acquired the bank, the sign was replaced again to match the company.[5] In 2017, the Wells Fargo signs were removed for structural reasons and the tower was planned to be demolished. Due to push back from the Casper community, demolition plans were halted, and the tower remains standing.[6] Under ownership of McGinley Innovations, the tower will stay and has been kept bare.[4]
Renovations
editSince taking over the building in 2020, McGinley Innovations has rehabilitated and renovated the bank to an Orthopedic clinic. The multi-million project involved asbestos removal, system upgrades, electrical and plumbing maintenance, the office areas have changed into clinic rooms and diagnostic centers, and the rotunda now doubles as a lobby and event venue space. The exterior paint has been restored to the original white of Deaton's design.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b Finn, Eleanor. "Wyoming National Holds Grand Opening" (PDF). Casper Star Tribune.
- ^ a b c d e f Humstone, Mary. "Wells Fargo Bank". SAH Archipedia.
- ^ a b Bosse, Paula (Feb 12, 2019). "Charles Deaton's "Ultra-Modern" Bank Design for Casper, Wyoming - 1964". High Shrink.
- ^ a b "The M Building". Mcginley Innovations.
- ^ a b Burke, Brandon (Jun 23, 2004). "Pylon behemoth built in 1968". Casper Star Tribune.
- ^ Resonfeld, Arno (Jan 20, 2020). "Change of heart: Wells Fargo tower to remain part of Casper skyline, bank says". Casper Star Tribune.
- ^ Cepeda, Dan (Nov 9, 2022). "(PHOTOS) Unboxed: Casper's round midcentury masterpiece transformed into mixed-use events space". Oil City News.