Seniors who grew up in Dawson remember the huge bank building as a hub of business activity. Even as late as the ’60s, the brick structure housed a drugstore, furniture and appliance store, and several apartments as well as the bank, which morphed through several titles, from First National to Gallatin and possibly even Integra before it closed. The building was sold several times, but renovation was always stopped or ignored altogether.
Like most neglected historic structures, chatter began about removing it. Members of the Tri-Town Area Historical Society wrote to business and historical investors in an effort to have someone take interest in the bank, citing its basic quality and investment value. Unfortunately, the letters produced no results.
At the precipice of having the bank removed, a rescuer stepped in and saved the aging structure. Brian and Lisa Kawalski bought the bank, simply because of its historical importance, with the goal of restoration.
The Kawalskis now own “Little Jim,” home of James Cochran, father of commercial coal and beehive coke production. The home is just across Main Street from the bank building. Restoration has begun.
A GoFundMe account has been created, with every penny pledged to the project. Plans include a possible business incubator, serving the Great Allegheny Passage with a bed and breakfast, coffee shop or office space. I believe their goals are logical, reality based and attainable. At the very least, it is a breath of fresh air to those of us who love our town and celebrate its history.
Roy W. Hess Sr.
Dawson
