Cook Bank Building
One of the Most Photographed Ruins in Nevada
The Cook Bank is the most iconic building in Rhyolite and is one of the most photographed ruins in Nevada. John Cook and his brother started the John S. Cook & Company Bank in Goldfield, Nevada in January 1905. Later that same year, they opened a new branch in Rhyolite. The bank's first location was in a rented building on Main Street. After buying this lot on Golden Street, construction of the Cook Bank Building began in the spring of 1907.
One of four banks in Rhyolite, the Cook Bank Building was by far the finest. Built of poured concrete, the building was three stories tall and had a basement that housed the Post Office. The interior was finished with marble staircases and mahogany accents. It also boasted modern conveniences such as electric lights and indoor plumbing.
Despite its opulence, the Cook Bank was open less than two years. In the summer and fall of 1907, a financial crisis, often referred to as the Knickerboxer Crisis, caused banks across the country to go bankrupt. By 1910, the Cook Bank was closed, and John Cook had sold off all the building's fixtures.
Since the closure of the Cook Bank, the building has appeared in many movies, including: The Air Mail, The Arrogant, Cherry 2000, The Island, Delusion, Ramona!, The Reward, Wanderer of the Wasteland, Six-String Samurai, Rough Riders' Round-up, Bone Dry, Ultraviolet, and more.
BLM interpretive sign on site
