Old West Carroll National Bank

At the end of the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War, Carroll Parish was divided into East Carroll (predominantly Black) & West Carroll (predominantly white). In 1915, an election was held to move the parish seat from Floyd to a town located on a railroad. The winning town was Oak Grove, located fifteen miles north of Floyd, & founded in 1909. In 1918, this two-story masonry building was completed across Main Street from the new parish courthouse. By January 1930, the Oak Grove Post Office was located in the back of the building & the corner bank space was vacant, presumably a result of the Stock Market Crash of 1929. West Carroll National Bank opened its doors in the corner space in October 1947, boasting over $266,000 in first day deposits. The bank added a neon sign & clock on the upper corner of the building, which by then, was known as the Jess E. Lee Building. Lee’s heirs sold the building in 1977. The West Carroll Chamber of Commerce now owns the structure, using the ground floor as offices & lease space. Roof leaks have caused damage to the upper floor, which remains vacant. A complete rehabilitation of the building is needed to ensure its continued use & sustainability.