The Bank of Southern Utah still stands (2022) with very few external modifications, but the building and bank have been through some tough times.

In January 1920 (two years before Ashton & Evans formed their partnership), the Bank of Southern Utah purchased a corner lot in downtown Cedar City from the Cedar Co-op. The price? Ten thousand dollars (Bank secures). Within the month, architect Randall L. Jones left for Chicago along with representatives of the Bank of Southern Utah and the Leigh Hotel to “obtain the last word in modern hotel and bank buildings… from the leading cities of this country” (Will inspect).

The recession of 1920–1921 was on the horizon, and only two months later, the bank decided to delay construction until “prices are more favorable for building materials and money less stringent” (Bank may defer).

It wasn’t until 1925, five years later, that A&E were hired with Randall L. Jones as associate. The relationship with Jones is interesting. Jones had already taken the trip to Chicago to look at modern banks, but by 1925 his life was full. His focus had turned from architecture to promotion of the Utah National Parks and he had joined Union Pacific Railroad to speak on the parks’ behalf. So no surprise that Jones was looking for help and found it with A&E (MacFarlane). Why A&E? They had previous relationships: Jones had offered Raymond Evans a partnership in 1916 and was related to Raymond Ashton.

Once the design was underway, City Market vacated their site in April 1925 and excavation and concrete pouring began in July (Gets contract). The building was built of brick, masonry, and terra-cotta and used the Greek Revival temple-front style with the entrance framed by Corinthian columns and the façade pattern repeated on the side street though the use of engaged pilasters (Utah State Preservation Office). The upper stories were occupied by Drs. Macfarlance and Bergstrom offices, both of whom’s homes A&E designed (Cedar City’s new; Special collections).

The bank opened in March 1926. And it was quite the shindig with over 1000 visitors. “[T]he doors were thrown open and the people began to flock in .. [A]ll were pleasantly surprised at the appearance … built … to accommodate … this section of the state … for years to come” (Bank entertains).

The bank still had tough times ahead. The depression hit, and less than six years after opening (Dec 1931), the bank was not able to meet legally mandated reserves and was forced to close. Many in Cedar City lost their life’s savings. The Cedar City citizens and bank directors made heroic efforts to reopen the bank, which they did four months later.