The Banks House gets its name from the four generations of the Banks family who called it their home from the 1890’s until 2018. Originally this Queen Anne was just a one story house built by the pharmacist, Dr. George Montague. Soon after Dr. Braxton Bank’s purchased the home, he added on the second floor and moved in with his family. To this day one of the original exterior windows, which ended up under the staircase, can be seen inside the house. Over the years several additions including the original detached kitchen were incorporated into the floor plan as the building of the family home continued. Like many homes, porches were closed in to accommodate the creation of additional rooms as spaces ebbed and flowed together in different ways according to the ever changing needs of the family. You can walk through the rooms and see a variety of different types of wood flooring from original boards to new oak. Ceiling heights vary according to when and how additions were added. Some interior doors were once exterior doors. Wall and trim finishes vary according to what were the available resources.
Dr. Banks used the home for his medical practice and the family residence. What is now the dining room was once the patient waiting room. Later his son Tom Banks used the library for his law practice. Other additions were added along the way to provide space for the needs of a large family.
Being a well loved home for so many generations makes for some fun family stories. The third Margaret Banks (who was the last child to grow up in the house) shared this tale about her great-grandmother, Miss Nannie Banks. Miss Nannie (who survived her husband, Dr. Banks by many years) Did Not approve when property taxes were first instituted. She did not approve so much that she refused to pay the taxes. She proceeded to begin arguing with town officials about the absurdity of taxing personal property. Eventually the police became involved but she wasn’t interested in paying a dime for land that she already owned. After much discussion and no resolution the Garner police were seriously considering whether they were going to have to arrest Miss Nannie to make a point about the taxes due. Finally, someone had the idea to call her son Tom, who was then enrolled at Harvard University seeking his law degree. So, to settle things Tom took the train down from Massachusetts and intervened in the situation. Family lore says he arrived just in time, paid the taxes and saved his mother from the clink! In saving his mother he also saved the Banks family home for the next generations.
The Banks house has endured its fair share of additions, changes, and even a near devastating fire. As any house being cared for by family for over 100 years might be there are some well loved and worn spaces. Today when you walk through the home, its restoration work has helped support its tired bones, protect and repair some damages and freshened up the walls. You can see dents on doors, repairs on floors, and rooms still paneled in wood siding from their past life as an exterior wall. Through all of the home’s imperfections you begin to understand that a house is meant to be a home. It’s beauty is not only in it’s character but in the richness of this grand home that proudly looks out at the historic town of Garner, NC. The Banks house is a perfect example of a home where four generations of a family came together and experienced their own additions, loss, growth and love in the building of their lives. The Banks house continues today as an example of how homes and families link with their communities to represent the past and move forward for the present.
Mary
Mary, thank you for sharing the interesting story about Miss Nannie Banks! We so appreciate your efforts to preserve this beautiful and historic Garner landmark.