The Old State Bank Building is a historic landmark located in Decatur, Morgan County. It was built in 1833, originally serving as the Decatur branch of the State Bank of Alabama. Now operating as a museum, the building is notable for its Jeffersonian-style architecture featuring a rare five-column design and two sets of double front doors. It is believed to be the oldest surviving bank building in the state of Alabama. The Old State Bank was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The building remained vacant until 1861, when it was occupied by Union troops in the area. It served as a field hospital, a storehouse, and a headquarters for the senior officers. With 22-inch-thick walls, the bank's vault provided shelter from bullets, mortars, and cannon fire, which allowed it to be used as an operating room for wounded Union soldiers. The Bank's columns still bear the scars left by cannonballs and bullets, as well as the carved initials and troop numbers of Union soldiers. Because of the bank's importance to the Union, it was one of only three buildings in Decatur that survived the Civil War.
After the war, the Old State Bank served many different purposes, including a 20-year stint as the First National Bank and as also a brief time as a doctor's office and residence, but it had fallen into disrepair by the 1970s. After being added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1972, the building was donated by the American Legion, Post No. 15, to the City of Decatur in 1975. An extensive restoration ensued, focusing on the era between 1833 and 1845 (when the building operated as a bank). The board of directors of the Old State Bank oversaw the restoration, and funding was provided by the City of Decatur, the board of directors, and the Alabama Historical Commission. The Old State Bank opened as a museum in 1984.

The Old State Bank is located at 952 Bank Street Northeast, in Decatur. It is open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5pm.
Additional Resources
Dunnavant, Robert. Decatur, Alabama: Yankee Foothold in Dixie, 1861-1865. Little Rock: Pea Ridge Press, 1995.
Additional Resources
Dunnavant, Robert. Decatur, Alabama: Yankee Foothold in Dixie, 1861-1865. Little Rock: Pea Ridge Press, 1995.
Gamble, Robert. Historic Architecture in Alabama: A Guide to Styles and Types, 1810-1930. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990.