The Banning Block

The Banning Block. . , The first building on this site was constructed with two stories and a high false front. On the first floor there were two storefronts, and private rooms were available upstairs. The various businesses around the turn of the last century included a toy store, a butcher shop, and a candy store. The first building burned to the ground in late 1896 or early 1897, when a fire began in Crew's Drug Store and burned the entire block north of the alley. The present structure was built in 1897, and brick was used in its construction for protection against another fire. The new building contained three storefronts, and its first tenants were the Monrovia Post Office, Crew's Drug Store and a meat market. , In the 1930s, the façade was remodeled in the popular Art Deco style. Another extensive remodeling occurred in the 1960s. Throughout the years, the second floor of the building has been used for private rooms, professional offices, clubrooms, and the Monrovia Elks Lodge.