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Era
Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis
The Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis opened its doors in 1872. During its long history, it survived locust plagues, economic panics, a major milling disaster, the turbulent times of the Great Depression, and a devastating fire. Acquisition of smaller banks and a growing list of services made it one of the top banking companies in the region. In 1929 it became a bank holding company organized as Northwestern Bancorporation (later Norwest Corporation). Norwest merged with Wells Fargo in 1998.
A group of Minneapolis businessmen met in April 1872 to create a new banking institution with $200,000 in capital. The board of directors of the new bank elected Dorilus Morrison, a successful flour miller with an interest in the Northern Pacific Railway, as its first president. The bank opened at 100 Washington Avenue South a few months later. Board member William Hood Dunwoody made the first deposit of $2,315.
Northwestern National Bank faced many trials in its first decade. The financial panic of 1873 forced many railroads into bankruptcy. Minnesota farmers lost crops to locust plagues in the mid-1870s. The Washburn A Mill explosion in 1878 impacted flour milling revenues. The bank lost one-fourth of its capital through wheat speculation by an assistant cashier. The bank, however, survived and continued to grow.
Minneapolis prospered during the 1880s. By 1887, the bank's capital had grown to more than $3.3 million. Needing more space, the bank moved to the Guaranty Loan Building (later the Metropolitan Building) in 1891. A second financial panic two years later caused five Minneapolis banks to fail, but Northwestern once again weathered the storm.
The early 1900s brought improvements to the bank. It started a women's department in 1901, enabling women to open their own bank accounts. In 1904, the bank moved to a new building at 411 Marquette Avenue and soon opened the first savings department in the city. Four years later, it began an affiliation with the Minnesota Loan and Trust Company and started to acquire smaller banks. By 1922, Northwestern National Bank offered city-wide banking services through a growing network of branch banks.
Just before the 1929 stock market crash, construction began on a new building located at Seventh Street and Marquette. The new headquarters, designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst, & White of Chicago, cost $6 million. Built of granite and marble, it stood sixteen stories tall and boasted 115 teller stations, a 318-foot banking lobby, and four vaults. The safe deposit vault featured 63.5-ton, nine-foot diameter door made of twenty-four-inch-thick drillproof and fireproof steel plates. An electric alarm system protected the vault's assets.
The Northwest Bancorporation (Banco) was organized in January 1929, and by year’s end had ninety-five banks in its holdings. When the bank moved to its new building in 1930, its deposits totaled $100,459,000. The new organization set goals to stabilize banking operations and provide the best possible standardized service to its customers. Banco strengthened its position through a formal merger with Minnesota Loan and Trust in 1934. Throughout the Great Depression, Banco managed its assets so successfully that not a single customer lost money.
The landmark seventy-eight-ton Weatherball sign appeared on the roof of the bank in 1949, shining out its first weather forecast on October 7. By 1957, twenty-one locations around the Twin Cities featured the trademark Weatherball signs. The Weatherball jingle helped people to remember the sign's color code:
When the Weatherball is glowing red,
Warmer weather's just ahead.
When the Weatherball is shining white,
Colder weather is in sight.
When the Weatherball is wearing green,
No weather changes are foreseen.
Colors blinking by night and day
Say precipitation's on the way.
On Thanksgiving Day in 1982, arsonists started a fire in the vacant Donaldson's Department Store building. The fire quickly spread and consumed the bank building, with total damages estimated at more than $75 million. After demolition of the old bank in March 1984, the fifty-seven-story Norwest Center (later Wells Fargo Center) rose in its place. The Weatherball survived the blaze, but plans for its restoration at the state fairgrounds were dropped. In 1983 the bank changed its name to Norwest Corporation and stopped using the Weatherball logo.
In 1998 Norwest merged with Wells Fargo Corporation to become the country's sixth-largest banking company.
Bibliography
Emporis. Northwestern Bank Building.
https://www.emporis.com/buildings/102804/northwestern-national-bank-building-minneapolis-mn-usa
Hennepin County Library. Special Collections. "Thanksgiving Day Fire, November 25–26, 1982."
https://hclib.tumblr.com/post/68089403972/thanksgiving-day-fire-november-25-26-1982-part
Millett, Larry. "Minneapolis and St. Paul Were Once Home to Grand 'Banking Halls'." Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 30, 2017.
http://www.startribune.com/minneapoils-and-st-paul-were-once-home-to-grand-banking-halls/448672533
National Information Center. Institutional History for Wells Fargo Center Skyway Branch (995151).
https://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/InstitutionHistory.aspx?parID_RSSD=995151&parDT_END=99991231
Northwestern Bancorporation. 100 Years of Service, 1872–1972. Minneapolis: The Bank, 1972.
Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis: The First 75 Years. Minneapolis: The Bank, 1947.
Pamphlets relating to Northwestern National Bank, Northwestern Bancorporation, and Norwest in Minnesota, 1920–
Pamphlet Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
Description: Pamphlets and printed ephemera relating to the history, financial condition, and customer services of Northwestern National Bank and its successors.
Records of member banks
Northwest Bancorporation
Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00376.xml
Description: Financial and other records of a Minneapolis-based bank holding company and its member banks, particularly its flagship bank, the Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis.
TCM! Thanksgiving Day Fire 1982. WCCO Coverage.
https://tcmedianow.com/thanksgiving-day-fire-1982-wcco-coverage/
UPI. "Police Arrest 2 Boys for $75 Million Minneapolis Fire."
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/12/24/Police-arrest-2-boys-for-75-million-Minneapolis-fire/4973409554000/
"WCCO-TV Alan Cox Reports from 1982 Thanksgiving Fire downtown Minneapolis." YouTube video, 3:55. Posted by "tcmedianow," September 11, 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LnAwj_QY3A
"Weather Ball – Northwestern National Bank (now Wells Fargo)." YouTube video, 0:29. Posted by "TroySundt," December 6, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGnH5RIfMQ
Related Resources
Primary
323
Northwestern National Bank Photograph Album, 1930.
Sound and Visual Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/sv000220.xml
Description: Images of the Northwestern National Bank shortly after it was built at the 600 block of Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis.
Weatherball News. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis, 1973.
Weatherball Quarterly. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis, [1973?]–1977.
Weatherball Weekly. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank, –1983.
Web
Forgotten Minnesota. Mr. Weatherball.
http://forgottenminnesota.com/2012/03/170/
National Information Center. Institution History for Wells Fargo Center Skyway Branch (995151). https://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/InstitutionHistory.aspx?parID_RSSD=995151&parDT_END=99991231
"Minneapolis Fire Causes Large Loss." New York Times, November 27, 1982.
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/27/us/minneapolis-fire-causes-large-loss.html
Related Images

Northwestern National Bank, 1890
Men in front of the Northwestern National Bank, ca. 1890. Photograph by Norton & Peel.
Public domain
Holding Location
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Northwestern National Bank, ca. 1875
Northwestern National Bank at the corner of First Avenue South and Washington Avenue, Minneapolis, ca. 1875. Photo by William Henry Illingworth.
Public domain
Holding Location
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Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building, ca. 1892
The Northwestern Guaranty Loan Building (Metropolitan Building) at Third Street and Second Avenue, Minneapolis, shown here ca. 1892, was home to the Northwestern National Bank between 1891 and 1904.
Public domain
Holding Location
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Views of the interior of Northwest National Bank
Views of the interior of Northwest National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1898. From Art Glimpses of Minneapolis: The City of Homes. ([Minneapolis]: Times Newspaper Company, 1898).
Public domain

Northwestern National Bank, 1923
Northwestern National Bank, 407–413 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, 1923. Photo by C. J. Hibbard.
Holding Location
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Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, 1924
Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, 1924. Photograph by C. J. Hibbard.
Holding Location
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Construction of Northwestern Bank Building at 620 Marquette Avenue
Construction of Northwestern Bank Building, 620 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, 1929. Photograph by Norton & Peel.
Holding Location
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Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Second floor interior, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Second floor interior, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Elevator inside Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis
Elevator, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Vault inside Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Vault, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Entrance to the Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Holding Location
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Meeting room, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930
Meeting room, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Bank tellers with customers
Bank tellers with customers, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, ca. 1930.
Holding Location
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Installing the Weatherball
Installing the Weatherball on the roof of the Northwestern National Bank building in Minneapolis, 1949.
Holding Location
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Weatherball on top of the Northwestern National Bank
Weatherball on top of the Northwestern National Bank building, Minneapolis, 1950.
Holding Location
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Weatherball coin bank
Bronze-finished metal Weatherball coin bank offered free to those opening savings accounts with $25 or more at a Northwestern National Bank in October 1959.
All rights reserved
Holding Location

Lindbergh "Jenny" exhibit, Northwestern National Bank
Charles A. Lindbergh "Jenny" exhibit, Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, 1982. The iconic plane survived the Thanksgiving fire that destroyed the building in November of that year.
Holding Location
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Thanksgiving Day Fire at Northwestern National Bank
Thanksgiving Day Fire at Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis, November 25, 1982. Slide Collection, Special Collections, Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis. Used with the permission of Hennepin County Library.
Holding Location

Thanksgiving Day Fire at Northwestern National Bank
Thanksgiving Day Fire at Northwestern National Bank, Minneapolis, November 25, 1982. Slide Collection, Special Collections, Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis. Used with the permission of Hennepin County Library.
Holding Location

Helicopter removing the Weatherball from the roof of the Northwestern National Bank
Helicopter removing the Weatherball from the roof of the Northwestern National Bank prior to demolition of the fire-damaged building, 1983.
Holding Location
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Turning Point
The historic bank building is completely destroyed by fire in 1982.
Chronology
1872
1872
1882
1887
1891
1904
1905
1908
1929
1930
1949
1969
1982
1989
1998
Bibliography
Emporis. Northwestern Bank Building.
https://www.emporis.com/buildings/102804/northwestern-national-bank-building-minneapolis-mn-usa
Hennepin County Library. Special Collections. "Thanksgiving Day Fire, November 25–26, 1982."
https://hclib.tumblr.com/post/68089403972/thanksgiving-day-fire-november-25-26-1982-part
Millett, Larry. "Minneapolis and St. Paul Were Once Home to Grand 'Banking Halls'." Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 30, 2017.
http://www.startribune.com/minneapoils-and-st-paul-were-once-home-to-grand-banking-halls/448672533
National Information Center. Institutional History for Wells Fargo Center Skyway Branch (995151).
https://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/InstitutionHistory.aspx?parID_RSSD=995151&parDT_END=99991231
Northwestern Bancorporation. 100 Years of Service, 1872–1972. Minneapolis: The Bank, 1972.
Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis: The First 75 Years. Minneapolis: The Bank, 1947.
Pamphlets relating to Northwestern National Bank, Northwestern Bancorporation, and Norwest in Minnesota, 1920–
Pamphlet Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
Description: Pamphlets and printed ephemera relating to the history, financial condition, and customer services of Northwestern National Bank and its successors.
Records of member banks
Northwest Bancorporation
Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00376.xml
Description: Financial and other records of a Minneapolis-based bank holding company and its member banks, particularly its flagship bank, the Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis.
TCM! Thanksgiving Day Fire 1982. WCCO Coverage.
https://tcmedianow.com/thanksgiving-day-fire-1982-wcco-coverage/
UPI. "Police Arrest 2 Boys for $75 Million Minneapolis Fire."
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/12/24/Police-arrest-2-boys-for-75-million-Minneapolis-fire/4973409554000/
"WCCO-TV Alan Cox Reports from 1982 Thanksgiving Fire downtown Minneapolis." YouTube video, 3:55. Posted by "tcmedianow," September 11, 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LnAwj_QY3A
"Weather Ball – Northwestern National Bank (now Wells Fargo)." YouTube video, 0:29. Posted by "TroySundt," December 6, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGnH5RIfMQ
Related Resources
Primary
323
Northwestern National Bank Photograph Album, 1930.
Sound and Visual Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/sv000220.xml
Description: Images of the Northwestern National Bank shortly after it was built at the 600 block of Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis.
Weatherball News. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis, 1973.
Weatherball Quarterly. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis, [1973?]–1977.
Weatherball Weekly. Minneapolis: Northwestern National Bank, –1983.
Web
Forgotten Minnesota. Mr. Weatherball.
http://forgottenminnesota.com/2012/03/170/
National Information Center. Institution History for Wells Fargo Center Skyway Branch (995151). https://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/InstitutionHistory.aspx?parID_RSSD=995151&parDT_END=99991231
"Minneapolis Fire Causes Large Loss." New York Times, November 27, 1982.
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/27/us/minneapolis-fire-causes-large-loss.html