Louis Bank of Commerce, San Diego

This four story building started out as the official headquarters of the Louis Bank of Commerce. It was used for this purpose until 1893, when the famous entrepreneur Isidor Louis put an oyster bar in here that used to be frequented by such famous people as Wyatt Earp.

In fact, there has been some speculation through the years as to how involved Wyatt may have been in the local operation of a business here. The upper floors were turned into what used to be known as the Golden Poppy Hotel, which was a famous house of ill repute that was ran by fortune teller and psychic Madame Cora. Part of what made the location so famous was that the girls would wear dresses that matched the color of the room they used to service their clients.

The building is a classic example of Baroque Revival architecture. The ornate nature of the trim work is what sets it apart. The twin towers that rise about the location are well known. It also represents the first building in town that was made of granite. You will also want to note the ornate architecture of the window trim and fascia of the structure. You won’t see many better examples than this.