This bank building was designed and built in 1903 by John Stinson, owner/operator of Columbus Marble Works, and is noted for its significant architecture. In 1932, Machine Gun Kelley robbed a bank in Tupelo. Out of fear of a robbery in Columbus, Capt Sam Kaye was asked to loan a German machine gun he had brought home after WWI to the bank. It was placed on the bank’s mezzanine pointing down aimed at the front entrance. The bank hired WWI veteran, John Perry, to stand guard with the gun. Later the gun was returned to Kaye but Perry remained as a bank guard armed with a shotgun. The structure continued to serve as the main office until 1972 when growth of banking operations forced its relocation to a larger facility. In 1981, as a gesture of community goodwill and to honor an exceptional employee, the Merchants and Farmers Bank gave the building to the City of Columbus through the Columbus Civic Arts Council to be used as a Visual Arts Museum. When the Museum was relocated to Mississippi University for Women, the City returned the ownership and it is currently privately-owned.
