I would like to introduce you to the Cochran Bank of Dawson.

Built in 1897 by the Cochran family, this building stood for more than a century as the First National Bank of Dawson. Above the banking floor, the Washington Coal and Coke Company—another Cochran enterprise—operated with its own second-story vault. Over the decades the building sheltered businesses, families in its apartments, and the quiet daily life of a small Pennsylvania town.

By the time my wife Lisa and I began looking at it, the county was taking steps to tear the building down. We live across the street. Watching it sit vacant and deteriorating was heartbreaking. We contacted the owner, walked through the empty rooms, and decided we could not let it come down. We bought the building so it would have a chance.

The structure is now paid for in full. Every dollar raised here goes exclusively toward restoration work—nothing toward the purchase or any loan. We have already invested heavily out of our own pockets. The new roof alone cost approximately $18,000. Stabilizing and repairing the critical creek-side wall required another $22,000. These were necessary first steps to stop active water damage and protect what remains. The work is far from finished.

Our overall goal for this campaign is $100,000. That figure reflects the realistic cost of continuing the structural repairs, exterior masonry, interior restoration, and the systems needed to bring the building back into safe, useful life. We know the total project will ultimately require more, but $100,000 represents a meaningful and achievable next phase that will allow the building to begin supporting itself again.

We are restoring the bank with the long view in mind. Our hope is that it can once more serve the community and the many people who travel the Great Allegheny Passage—perhaps as a small coffee or ice cream shop, a barber shop, a country store carrying local goods, and simple overnight accommodations for trail users. The exact mix will grow from what the building and the town need. We are documenting every step of the process and inviting ideas from anyone who cares about this place.

Original features are still here waiting. The massive vault door, the iron shutters, the windows that had been covered for years—these details remind us why the building is worth the effort.

If this project speaks to you, we would be grateful for any support you can offer. Whether you follow the progress, share the story, or contribute to the work itself, you become part of the next chapter of a building that has already stood for 129 years.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for caring about a small historic bank in Dawson, Pennsylvania.

— Brian and Lisa
Cochran Bank of Dawson