Louis Sullivan's Merchants National Bank

Louis H. Sullivan (1856–1924) was a prominent practitioner in the Chicago school of architecture. Recognized as the “father of the American skyscraper,” Sullivan believed that ornamentation should arise naturally (or “organically,” as Frank Lloyd Wright, who worked for and revered Sullivan, would later say) from the larger design.

After creating a number of high-profile big-city structures, Sullivan turned his skills toward small midwestern towns, where he designed several “jewel box” banks, so called for their compact size, simplicity, and use of stained-glass windows. One of these, Merchants National Bank in Grinnell, Iowa, serves as a shining example of the organic ornamentation characterizing Sullivan’s exquisite and functional style.