National Register Description
The following text is courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Parks Service. Minor transcription errors or changes in formatting may have occurred; please see the Nomination Form for official text. Some information may have become outdated since the property was nominated for the Register.
The Memphis Bank and Trust Building (MB&T) is significant in local commerce due to its association with the explosive growth of the installment finance banking during the early 20th century. It was established as a vehicle for local automobile dealers to share in the lucrative returns on consumer financing. MB&T experienced unprecedented growth in the immediate post-World War II years and rapidly became a major local bank, even as they overstepped banking regulations to do so. The Modernist style Memphis Bank and Trust Building played a significant role in recreating the metropolitan area in post-World War II Memphis and is eligible for individual listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A.